Trump denies ‘downplaying’ AI risks, says ‘We’re leading China in AI’ and he wants to ‘keep it that way’

President Trump is pushing back against claims that he is ignoring the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. He maintains that the technology will ultimately provide more benefits than drawbacks, even as industry leaders continue to urge for a deceleration in development.

The president addressed these concerns on Sunday while aboard Air Force One, The Hill reported. When a reporter asked if he was downplaying the risks that have been raised by various tech leaders, the president quickly interjected. He stated, “No, I’m not downplaying,” before adding, “But it’s going to be more good than bad, by a lot.”

Earlier in the day, while attending a golf tournament in Ireland, the president was questioned about the possibility of slowing down AI development or implementing stricter regulations. He emphasized the importance of maintaining an edge in the global landscape during his response. “Well, I’ll say this: We’re leading China in AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI wins,” the president said.

This conversation follows a weekend of intense debate regarding the future of the industry

While he acknowledged that some oversight is possible, he expressed skepticism toward those currently sounding the alarm. He noted, “And we can put guardrails, we can do this and that, but, I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that shouldn’t be bringing it up, and they’re bringing up things that won’t happen.”

The push for a pause in development gained significant traction on Saturday when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei publicly argued that the industry needs to slow down. He believes this is necessary to implement essential safeguards. “We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” Amodei wrote in a blog post. He added, “Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain.”

Amodei was joined in this sentiment by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and billionaire Elon Musk. The Anthropic CEO suggested that companies should focus on pacing their progress rather than stopping it entirely.

Amodei argued that this approach would allow for better alignment and safety testing. “To be clear, pacing does not mean halting model training or technical progress, but ensuring companies take adequate time to align and safeguard their models, and for third party evaluators to confirm this,” he continued. He described his framework as a way to encourage a race to the top regarding safety standards.

These industry calls for caution follow a study released earlier this month by a group of current and former Anthropic researchers. The study offered a stark warning, suggesting that the AI models currently under development could have the potential to destroy humanity.

The debate is also reaching the halls of government. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now requesting more information and briefings regarding the technology. However, not everyone in Washington is calling for immediate intervention. House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged his colleagues and the public not to panic as they navigate these developments.