Trump dismisses AI safety concerns as a 'hoax'
At the All-In Summit in Los Angeles on Monday, US President Donald Trump called Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang while Huang was speaking onstage. The call was put on speakerphone, and according to a video shared online, Trump said, 'I'm telling you, it's all a hoax.'
Trump's comments came amid a growing debate over AI safety. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei had recently argued for intentionally slowing down and more closely monitoring AI development, a call joined by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk.
On his platform Truth Social, Trump compared safety concerns to what he called the 'Global Warming Scam' and referred to himself as the 'Hoax Buster.' He said additional AI regulation was unnecessary and suggested the warnings might even serve Chinese interests.
Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark told the BBC that a mandatory 'kill switch' for dangerous AI systems, verifiable by an independent third party, might eventually be needed. According to the BBC, Anthropic researcher Evan Hubinger said he thought there was more than a 10% chance AI could contribute to human extinction within the next decade.
In Congress, reactions were mixed, according to Axios: Republican Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged 'potential consequential risks' from AI but favored only light-touch regulation.
It remains unclear how solid the cited risk estimates are scientifically, and how much economic and political interests - including competition with China - are shaping the different positions.
WHY IT MATTERS
The public clash between politicians and AI companies shows how differently the possible dangers of AI are being handled, which affects whether and how quickly binding safety rules will be introduced.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
- Question AI hype and fear claims Don't immediately believe claims that AI is completely safe or completely dangerous. Check important statements against more than one independent source.
- Keep track of AI rules near you Follow what rules for AI exist or are planned where you live. This helps you know your rights when using AI services.
- Double-check important AI answers Don't rely only on an AI's answer for important matters like health, money, or contracts. Get a human opinion as well.
- Make your view on AI safety heard If AI safety rules matter to you, you can voice that through consumer groups or by contacting your elected representatives.