Washington's message to AI execs: please shut up
Washington has always viewed Silicon Valley as culturally strange, but the current crop of AI leaders is becoming a political liability, sources close to the White House and Congress tell Axios. Why it matters : Lawmakers, hill staffers and Washington insiders in both parties wish AI founders would do what every other major industry chief does: put a sock in it and just build their products —…
The White House and Congress are increasingly frustrated with AI executives who they feel are causing political instability with their messages about the technology's dangers. Lawmakers and insiders from both parties want AI founders to focus on building their products safely rather than constantly warning of existential threats.
Senators and representatives criticize AI leaders for operating in a political vacuum and being out of touch with everyday Americans. The combination of AI industry's messaging, cozying up to former President Trump, and potential job losses creates a moral panic, making it hard for regulators to navigate the debate. Administration officials are disappointed with Anthropic for not disclosing safety incidents involving its models and for proposing an AI safety bill that they oppose.
OpenAI's strategy, as demonstrated by its chief lobbyist's statements, has also been met with skepticism from lawmakers. The AI sector's attempts to win over public opinion have so far failed, with a majority of Americans viewing AI as bad for society.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
