Obama Calls on US to Enact AI Rules, Warns of Catastrophic Risks
RegulationGeopolitics
Barack Obama, the former US president, has called on the federal government to move forward with legislation and regulations on artificial intelligence safety, warning that the technology could lead to catastrophe if not managed properly. Bloomberg reported that Obama said in a statement on Monday that AI policy should be a central issue in America's public debate, and that policymakers in Washington need to act proactively to address safety concerns, AI's impact on employment and children, and to ensure the technology's benefits are spread widely among the public. Obama also criticised the light-touch approach to AI regulation backed by President Donald Trump, though he did not name Trump directly, saying voluntary standards drawn up by just a few technology companies would not be enough. Earlier, Trump signed an executive order in June setting out a voluntary framework that allows AI developers to give the government early access to advanced AI models, known as Frontier Models, to assess security risks. On Monday, Trump posted repeatedly on social media, dismissing concerns that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity as a hoax, and said calls to restrict or slow AI development would give China a competitive advantage. In addition, the New York Times reported that Obama urged Democratic leaders at a private fundraising event recently to speed up plans to elevate AI as a key agenda item in the coming years, and suggested that US presidential candidates in 2028 should have a clear plan for tackling both the safety risks and the economic fallout from AI.
