Trump says AI safety fears a 'hoax' as he rejects calls for greater safeguards

U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about the safety of artificial intelligence (AI) as a "hoax," rejecting calls for stricter regulations on the rapidly evolving technology. This stance came after Jack Clark, co-founder of AI company Anthropic, suggested that a mandatory "kill switch" for dangerous AI, verifiable by a third party, might become necessary.

Clark's remarks echoed warnings from several executives and employees at leading AI firms about the potential risks AI poses to humanity. These concerns triggered a sell-off in shares of some tech firms, as investors grappled with the impact of possible AI development slowdowns.

Trump took to social media to compare AI safety warnings to the "Global Warming Scam," a term he used to describe what he called the "Radical Left Democrat" hoax. He also boasted about his role as the "Hoax Buster," likening AI safety concerns to the "RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA HOAX." In another post, Trump claimed that the only "guardrails" needed for AI were a "strong and smart president."

Chinese state media suggested that U.S. anxiety over China's rapid AI development was influencing policy priorities, as experts warned that Washington's growing concerns about China's AI progress could distort its policy focus. Clark, who is one of Anthropic's seven founders, acknowledged that while most labs have mechanisms to halt dangerous AI, lawmakers may need to enforce such measures.

Microsoft AI recently published a document outlining its approach to "humanist AI," as its CEO Mustafa Suleyman stated that the company had been working on the guidelines for months due to ongoing debates about the technology.

The debate over AI's potential dangers intensified following a viral post by former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon, who expressed concerns about AI potentially wiping out humanity within a decade. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in AI development and more stringent monitoring, though some questioned his motivations.

Competing AI firms, including OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk's xAI, have also endorsed Amodei's proposal for industry-wide deceleration, regulation, and independent monitoring of AI model development.