Trump says AI risks are manageable and boasts about threatening an AI boss with jail
In a recent interview, Donald Trump downplayed AI safety concerns, claiming the government can easily manage the risks. He also casually mentioned that the Justice Department once threatened a major tech boss with arrest over dangerous AI activities, forcing them to quickly change their ways.
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During his appearance on 60 Minutes, Donald Trump shared his views on the state of artificial intelligence, safety guardrails, and international competition.
Trump's Take on Safety
Trump argued that the existential threats often highlighted by industry leaders are exaggerated and that current risks are already being handled by authorities. To prove his point, he recounted an incident where the Department of Justice allegedly gave a stern warning to the head of a leading AI company, telling them to prepare for arrest if they did not clean up their act. Trump refused to name the individual or company involved, but noted that the scare tactic worked immediately.
Global Competition and Guardrails
When asked about working across the aisle on regulation, Trump expressed a willingness to cooperate with Democrats. However, he heavily emphasized that maintaining American leadership is the top priority. He criticized heavy-handed domestic rules that might slow the US down, arguing that China is all in on what he prefers to call 'super intelligence' and operates without western-style bureaucratic limits.
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