Former President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) posing existential risks to humanity, describing such fears as a “hoax.” Speaking amid growing calls for increased regulation of AI technologies, Trump argued that the only necessary safeguards are provided by a “strong and smart” president, rejecting proposals for formal oversight.
Trump’s remarks come as lawmakers in the United States continue to debate the expansion of AI and associated infrastructure, including data centers. Some members of Congress have criticized Trump’s position. Democratic Representative Don Beyer responded sharply, asserting that “history will look very poorly on that tweet,” underscoring the seriousness with which many in government view AI risks.
The discourse follows a surge of warnings from AI industry figures and scientists. Jack Clark, co-founder of AI company Anthropic, recently suggested the potential need for a “kill switch” capable of shutting down AI systems entirely should they become dangerously autonomous. Clark emphasized that many AI labs, including Anthropic, already maintain methods to deactivate their systems in emergency scenarios.
Other experts have voiced concerns about the rapid development pace of AI. Anthropic scientist Evan Hubinger estimated the probability of AI triggering human extinction within the next decade to be above 10%. Company CEO Dario Amodei has called for slowing AI advancement and instituting closer oversight measures, advocating for regulation that does not undermine commercial competitiveness. Similar views have been expressed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI founder Elon Musk, who support industry-wide deceleration and independent monitoring of AI model progress.
These apprehensions have coincided with declines in technology stock prices, reflecting investor uncertainty about potential regulatory impacts. The debate has also reached the United Kingdom, where Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds advised caution but warned against alarmism. “We’ve got to be careful not to get hyperbolic about this,” Reynolds said, acknowledging both risks and “tremendous upsides” associated with AI.
In Washington, a Pro-Human Assembly convened, featuring speakers such as former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and Senator Bernie Sanders. The event aims to promote a “more human-centric path” for AI development. Sanders has urged immediate measures to halt what he calls the “uncontrolled growth of AI,” cautioning about the existential threat posed by unchecked progress.
Chinese state media have contributed to the conversation by critiquing U.S. policy priorities, suggesting that “Washington’s growing anxiety over China’s rapid AI development appears to be increasingly distorting its policy priorities,” highlighting rising geopolitical tensions embedded within the technological debate.