Trump warns against slowing down AI but he is not against some guardrails
President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have expressed opposition to slowing down AI development, citing the need to maintain a competitive edge over China. Their comments contrast with warnings from tech leaders like Anthropic's CEO, who advocate for safety guardrails and slower development cycles.
Why it matters
This reflects a growing geopolitical divide in AI policy, where national security and economic dominance are being weighed against existential safety concerns.
President Trump on Sunday downplayed concerns that AI could go rogue after several leaders in the tech industry called for putting the brakes on its development.
Speaking to reporters at his Doonbeg golf resort in Ireland, the president said the dire warnings about AI were exaggerated and that "negative forces" are making claims about things that won't happen.
"We're leading China in AI, we're the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI, wins," Trump said. "And we can put guardrails, we can do this and that. But I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that shouldn't be bringing it up."
President Trump did not explain what he meant by "negative forces."
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