Trump has ‘no concerns’ about AI wiping out humanity, says US must stay ahead of China

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump played down the risks of potentially catastrophic risks posed by artificial intelligence, telling reporters on Thursday, Sept 10, that he focused on making sure the USA stays ahead of China, rather than thinking too much about the possible, more alarming, long-term dangers the technology poses.

Asked whether he has concerns about existential risks posed by AI, the president said, "No, I don’t have any."

A debate reignited by a viral warning

He reframed the concern entirely around global competition, telling reporters as he left Dallas, "I have concerns that if we don't win AI, we're going to be put in a very bad position. We are leading China right now by a pretty good period."

Trump was wading into a debate over AI’s catastrophic risks ignited by a viral social media post from a former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher.

The post cautioned that the leading AI companies have been “gambling with our lives” and that some researchers working on the technology “believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.”

The post and the discourse it stirred up, along with recent alarming incidents where AI agents have gone rogue to launch hacking attacks, have prompted fresh calls from bipartisan lawmakers to rein in the fast-evolving technology.

GOP colleagues strike a more cautious tone

The president’s remarks notably contrasted with those of some of his fellow Republicans.

Sen Ted Cruz, who chairs the Commerce Committee, described the risks as "deeply concerning" in an interview with POLITICO this week, while still emphasizing that the US cannot afford to fall behind China.

He said his committee may hold a markup this month on AI legislation, including a bill he is working on with Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to address AI uses that create biological and nuclear threats.

Meanwhile, Rep Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla) called on Congress to convene a special session on AI to address its effects in a social media post.

Trump continues to champion the industry

For his part, Trump has been staunchly supportive of the American AI industry, which has been driving economic growth and lifting up the stock market.

The president also broke with some Republican elected officials and voters calling for a slowdown in data center construction over energy and land-use concerns.

“The only reason that communities throughout the USA should not want data centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor,” Trump said on social media last month. “If we kill the Golden Goose, you will only have yourselves to blame. China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement.”

The comments reflect a theme in Trump's position on AI, which frames the technology in terms of competition with China, not the safety issues emphasized by many researchers and some of his own party.