Top tech leaders have issued warnings about artificial intelligence, and Donald Trump has dismissed them as a “HOAX,”. He called the fears of AI destroying humanity a “SICK conspiracy” against the United States. JD Vance, his vice president, described the warnings as a “Trojan horse.”.
On Monday, the president posted after Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, joined other leaders in the AI field to say his company would welcome a slower development pace. Lawmakers are also calling for urgent action on the growing threat of AI.
Trump’s Posts
Trump wrote on social media that AI taking over the world and destroying humanity is a “HOAX.” He added that there is a “SICK conspiracy” going on around AI, and that the only one happy about it is China.
“Don’t kill the Golden Goose!” Trump wrote in one post.
He also claimed the US is dominating other countries, including China, in AI development. He argued that there is a “SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers,” and that the US has a “STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT” who provides the only necessary control.
Vance’s Warning
Vance said Monday that the administration is “concerned” about the technology, but any regulations need to be done “smartly.” He described the current situation as feeling like a “Trojan horse.”
“It’s something that we’re concerned by, but we want to make sure that we actually regulate smartly, and we’re thoughtful about the risk here,” Vance said. “There are obviously risks to AI. There are some benefits to AI. I have to say, just personally, I feel a little bit weird about the fact that you have so many Frontier AI tech companies kind of coming to the government and begging the government to regulate them — it feels a little bit to me like a bit of a Trojan horse.”
Altman’s Position
On Sunday evening, Altman stated that his firm would welcome a federal framework “that sets consistent safety requirements for frontier AI.”.
“But we do not believe we need to wait for an anti-trust exemption or legislation to begin the work of providing this confidence,” Altman said on social media. “Consistent rules to manage frontier risk so that we can maximize the benefits are a good idea (and we are excited by ideas like independent auditors).”
Coxon’s Resignation
A former safety researcher at two prominent tech companies, Anthropic and OpenAI, has quit his job at Anthropic and used the occasion to sound an alarm about artificial intelligence. Jacob Coxon, who previously worked on AI safety at both firms, made the announcement last week.
Coxon said in a social media post that neither Anthropic nor OpenAI “is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives.” He also highlighted the fear within the industry about the potential for an AI takeover.
“The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade,” Coxon wrote.
Lawmakers Push Back
On Sunday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told ABC News’ “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that lawmakers need to “begin to act urgently to address the challenges that exist.”
“We should take decisive action now so that we can slow down, as the CEOs have recently acknowledged, slow down the pace of development in order to protect the American people and ensure that AI is proceeding safely,” Jeffries added.
This week, lawmakers from both chambers are returning to Washington for their last push before the November midterm elections. After reports raised serious worries about AI security, regulating artificial intelligence will probably return as a top priority.
What OpenAI’s CEO Says
Last week, Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei wrote a blog post where he said that “we must pace the frontier,” as in slow the pace of AI development.
“We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” he wrote. “Progress will still seem fast, and we must make wise use of the time we gain.”
On Sunday, Altman said, “When we talk about ‘pacing’, we do not mean ‘stopping’.”
“Progress has been rapid and will continue to be. But it should be slower than it otherwise could be; interventions like safety cases and monitoring have significant costs,” he wrote. “Pacing will be well worth this cost; no amount of American competitive pressure should justify recklessness, or let capabilities get ahead of alignment and monitoring.”
“Where we will need the help of our government is for international coordination,” he added. “But first we should do what we can ourselves.”
The President’s Use of AI
On Sunday, the president confirmed his own personal use of AI, though he declined to specify which systems or for what purposes he employs it.
There is real strain over how the nation handles AI, given that Trump dismisses the dangers as a hoax while tech leaders openly urge slower development. The administration believes strong presidential leadership alone acts as a guardrail. The industry, by contrast, is asking for rules and oversight.
A series of recent statements from leading tech figures has drawn attention to growing concerns about artificial intelligence, with reactions ranging from dismissal to resignation. Sam Altman has said OpenAI welcomes federal safety requirements, while Jacob Coxon resigned from Anthropic. The warnings have also prompted political responses: JD Vance called them a “Trojan horse”, Hakeem Jeffries called for urgent action, and Trump dismissed them as a “HOAX” and a “SICK conspiracy”. Midterm elections are set for November.
Parallel Positions
– Trump: AI takeover is a “HOAX”; a “STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT” is enough control
– Altman: OpenAI welcomes federal safety requirements but rejects waiting for legislation
– Amodei: Anthropic says “we must pace the frontier” to slow AI development
– Jeffries: Lawmakers should act urgently to protect Americans
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