AI regulation is entering a critical phase: President Donald Trump’s administration says technology companies—not the government—must take responsibility if they want to slow the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently urged the U.S. government to adopt broader AI regulations and help slow the pace of development. His proposal received support from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk, while Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the need for companies to keep pace with technological advances.
David Sachs, co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, criticized the idea of allowing AI companies to coordinate more closely on development standards. He warned against suspending antitrust protections or creating industry cartels under the guise of AI safety.
Amodei proposed allowing competing AI companies to participate in government discussions and receive exemptions that would let them collaborate on safety standards without violating antitrust laws. He also called for international cooperation, including discussions involving China. Sachs questioned whether such an agreement would be effective, arguing that China is unlikely to join a global AI deal.
The Trump administration has largely opposed efforts to slow AI development, citing concerns that excessive regulation could allow China to gain a technological advantage. During a visit to Ireland, Trump said the United States is currently leading China in AI and argued that maintaining that lead is essential because “whoever wins in AI wins.”
U.S. lawmakers have expressed similar concerns. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress must find a balance between AI oversight and innovation, warning that sweeping regulation could cause the United States to lose the global AI race. The debate reflects growing tension between AI safety advocates and officials focused on economic and national security competition.
AI companies are also proposing voluntary measures to rebuild public trust. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company would support Amodei’s proposal to provide independent third-party evaluators with employee-level access to review AI safety practices, assess products and report serious incidents. Altman acknowledged that the policy would be costly but said responsible AI development is worth the expense and that competitive pressure should not justify recklessness.
Source: www.wired.com