Silicon Valley responds to Trump’s hands-off approach to AI regulation at Tech Week

San Francisco's Tech Week brought venture capitalists and AI founders together, delighting in the White House's stance of not regulating artificial intelligence. After lengthy discussions about uncontrolled AI agents causing issues ranging from government websites to healthcare data, the nation seems farther from regulating AI systems than before.

President Donald Trump hosted tech leaders in Washington for a luncheon and signing of a voluntary safety pact, referred to by the administration as "almost a constitution" for "Super Intelligence." The 308-word agreement required advanced AI labs to follow safety protocols and set up internal teams to monitor their progress, but the administration provided no details on how to prevent "bad things" from happening.

At a crowded event in San Francisco, founders and funders praised the government's hands-off approach, believing it would result in higher profits for companies developing AI-powered defense and security systems. Kyle Stanford, a venture capital research director at PitchBook, highlighted the $1 trillion allocated for defense spending, with $13.5 billion going to autonomous systems and AI. This influx of capital into defense tech spending far surpasses anything seen before.

However, three researchers from OpenAI's headquarters resigned, stating that "fear and unclear rules stymie AI safety work." David Robinson, a leader on OpenAI's safety team, expressed concerns about allowing advanced labs to police themselves, noting the significant time gap between model generations. Trump's presidency has focused on AI industry success, with the administration moving away from oversight and prioritizing rapid growth.

In December, Trump signed an executive order blocking AI regulations at the state level, arguing that a patchwork of rules could stifle the industry.

Concerns about AI safety revolved around existential risks rather than current real-world harms. A relatively unknown Anthropic engineer quit and called for a pause on tech development to prevent "superhuman" systems from eluding controls. Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs echoed the call to slow AI development, seemingly aiming to gain favor with investors ahead of their public listings during the midterm elections.

The White House's pact allows AI companies wide latitude, and the administration emphasized working with industry to balance innovation and security after the lunch and signing event.