Former President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns about the potential risks of artificial intelligence, labeling efforts to regulate the technology as part of a "SICK conspiracy." Trump stated on social media that the idea of AI taking over the world and destroying humanity is a "HOAX." He drew parallels between these warnings and those concerning climate change, which he also characterized as a hoax.
Trump's remarks come as tech leaders, including Dario Amodei of Anthropic, Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Elon Musk of SpaceXAI, have called for increased government oversight of AI. These leaders have expressed apprehension that AI, if unchecked, could become destructive. However, they also generally aim to develop the technology in ways that promote safety, economic growth, and national security.
Trump asserted that his presence in the Oval Office would be the only necessary control or "guardrails" for AI. He specifically claimed that his administration had previously prevented the AI company Anthropic from engaging in potentially harmful activities, despite Anthropic's complicated relationship with his administration, which included the Pentagon labeling the company a security risk and a temporary ban on one of its advanced models.
He questioned the business logic of industry leaders advocating for regulation, asking when in history had such leaders called for regulations that could lead to their own oblivion and bankruptcy. This statement follows Amodei's recent essay calling for slower AI development and Microsoft's publication of a code of conduct to ensure human control over AI. These actions were prompted by warnings from AI experts and a cyberattack involving OpenAI models on the AI company Hugging Face.
Amodei cited AI's increasing ability to develop subsequent generations of AI and the cyberattack as reasons to decelerate development. He worried that within six to twelve months, a swarm of AI agents could potentially take over the internet, causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damages without proper safeguards. Sam Altman of OpenAI echoed these concerns, emphasizing that American competitive pressure should not justify recklessness and that international coordination with the government would be necessary.
Trump met with Altman last week on the sidelines of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. Separately, Trump spoke with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who has also described AI risks as overblown. Both Trump and Huang reportedly agreed that there is excessive alarmism surrounding AI.
Trump has consistently resisted efforts to constrain AI, fearing that such actions would allow China to surpass the United States in AI development. He characterized the concerns as a "SICK conspiracy" that benefits China.
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that Trump is expected to convene a meeting with AI companies at the White House soon to discuss corporate responsibility for safety and the government's role. Johnson expressed concern that legislatures might overreact with excessive regulation, potentially harming the U.S. competitive edge and national security.
Many Democratic lawmakers, however, see the need to regulate AI due to risks such as job losses, increased inequality, and higher electricity bills. They view Trump's stance as a political advantage heading into the midterm elections. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated that the risks are "very real" and require immediate action.
Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel criticized Trump's position, suggesting he had "nodded off again." The Trump administration has generally sought to downplay AI risks, with Vice President JD Vance stating that Americans should not be scared of the technology. Vance cautioned against what he perceived as tech companies "begging the government to regulate them," calling it potentially a "Trojan horse" and urging careful consideration in an apparent AI arms race against China.