Mark Zuckerberg tells US govt why regulating AI models would be a mistake
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly urged President Trump to avoid implementing strict government safety regulations on AI models. The proposal, inspired by Google DeepMind, would create an independent body to test frontier AI for risks before public release.
Why it matters
The debate highlights a major tension between tech industry leaders who prioritize rapid innovation and policymakers concerned with the societal risks of powerful AI.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg used a private phone call with President Donald Trump last month to push back on a plan that would put America's most powerful AI models through a safety check before they reach the public. The call happened the week of August 17, according to Politico and Business Insider, which both cited a senior White House official familiar with the conversation. Trump dialled Zuckerberg first.The proposal on the table would create an independent body modelled on FINRA, the industry-funded watchdog that polices broker-dealers under the eye of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Applied to AI, it would review frontier models and test them for risk before wide release. Zuckerberg told Trump he was against it. He did not ask the president to reverse course, but said anyone appointed to such a body should share Trump's light-touch instincts on AI. Meta declined to comment.
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