Democrats press White House on still-secret AI framework
It’s the latest indication that Democrats are not giving up on a sustained push for answers from the administration.
Two Democratic senators, Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, have written to various White House officials concerning the opaque AI regulatory framework unveiled as part of President Donald Trump's executive order. The senators expressed concern that the Trump administration is prioritizing the interests of Big Tech CEOs over safety and security risks posed by advanced AI systems.
The senators cited reported industry influence over the content of the executive order, highlighting Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's significant role in shaping the White House AI accord. They pointed to the administration's "cozy relationship" and "deference to industry executives" in the drafting of the framework.
The letter, obtained by Semafor, is the most recent indication that Democrats are determined to obtain answers from the administration regarding the mysterious, voluntary AI framework. They have set a deadline of October 19 for receiving detailed responses to five questions, including information on meetings and communications between industry and government officials leading up to the executive order's release in June.
The senators also demanded to know whether independent evaluators or other stakeholders besides industry representatives were consulted in the process, along with a description of the pre-deployment testing process established under the framework. They argue that the American people deserve strong AI regulations set by democratically elected officials, not a framework that is "toothless" and shaped in secret by a small group of billionaires.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
