Thune sees role for Congress on AI — Trump does not

Majority Leader John Thune believes Congress has a role to play in regulating artificial intelligence (AI), despite President Trump's dismissive stance on the issue. Thune, speaking on his first day back after a five-week break, emphasized the need for guardrails around cutting-edge AI models, acknowledging potential consequential risks.

While Thune does not view AI as an existential threat to humanity, he warns against a "worst-case-scenario" narrative. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has called for slowing AI development to avoid catastrophic outcomes, but Trump maintains that the President should have sole authority to regulate AI. Republicans acknowledge the importance of oversight but are cautious about potential stifling of innovation.

Thune, with his prior experience in AI legislation and chairing of the Commerce Committee, is better equipped to navigate the complex subject than many of his colleagues. He reiterated that the U.S. has the intelligence to manage AI, emphasizing the need for federal oversight and corporate responsibility.