Obama voices caution on AI, urges Democrats to tackle it: reports
Former U.S. President Barack Obama has urged Democrats to prioritize AI policy and governance to address safety and economic risks. His comments follow warnings from industry researchers regarding the potential dangers of rapid, unregulated AI development.
Why it matters
As AI technology advances rapidly, political leaders are increasingly pressured to establish regulatory frameworks to mitigate existential and economic risks.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama has warned that artificial intelligence could be “dangerous” if not properly managed, and urged Democrats to frame policy and governance agendas to tackle the issue, the New York Times said on Sunday (September 13, 2026).
The remarks at a recent private fundraising event come as growing numbers of U.S. lawmakers call for tougher rules on AI systems after dire warnings from two Anthropic researchers that rapid industry progress risks extinction of the human race.
“This is something that is moving very fast in private hands, and if we don’t get on top of it, I think can be dangerous,” the newspaper quoted Obama as saying on Thursday (September 13, 2026).
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