WASHINGTON, D.C. — Lawmakers, tech executives and the White House are clashing over what should come next for artificial intelligence — and whether regulating it could put the U.S. behind China.
At the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, President Trump rejected calls to rein in what he now calls, “super intelligence.”
“Welcome to the new world of super intelligence,” said President Trump, trying to re-brand artificial intelligence as “super intelligence.”
Trump also cast doubt on recent AI warnings in front of world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
“We’re going to encourage it, not rein it in,” Trump said, while shooting down any concept of a global AI initiative or international body.
“The United States also totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control for the artificial intelligence,” said Trump.
The debate over AI continues in Washington, as leaders from major AI companies continue to call for regulations and safety measures.
“It’s important to have a federal framework, and we should continue to work on that and get serious about it on a bipartisan basis,” said Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y. “We have to get the administration understanding that there is going to be congressional regulation put forward. It has to be a lawmaking exercise.”
Both parties in Congress are calling for more federal oversight, but Democrats want more transparency and a game plan from the administration.
“We need urgent legislation now to regulate AI, to create rules of the road,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who added that the potential for breakthroughs in medical research, for example, is limitless.
But she warned, it could come with risks.
“In the hands of bad actors, it could be the gateway to chemical weapons, to destructive types of applications that harm humanity,” said Gillibrand.
AI leaders have recently warned that if the current AI development pace continues or increases, without guardrails, artificial intelligence could experience “gain of function.”
“Meaning it can just go rogue and do what it wants regardless of the commands. That cannot happen,” Gillibrand said.
President Trump recently announced an “AI task force” to be led by an AI czar, who Trump says will oversee the growth of the industry.
“It’s actually amazing. But we have to be careful,” Trump said of AI.
