Amidst the ongoing race between America and China in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), US President Donald Trump has sent a clear signal that he opposes slowing down the pace of AI development. Discussing this topic with journalists in Dunbeg, Ireland, Trump emphasized that America is ahead of China in AI development and aims to maintain this advantage. He stated that in the global AI race, the stronger party will win.
While acknowledging the need for certain safety measures, or 'guardrails,' for AI, Trump did not specify what rules his administration plans to introduce. He dismissed criticism from those expressing concerns about rapid technological development as a manifestation of negative thinking.
This statement by Trump came against the backdrop of industry discussions regarding the necessity of regulating the speed of development. Earlier, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic AI, argued that the industry should slightly reduce its growth rate to allow time for developing appropriate safety measures. Elon Musk and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, publicly took a similar stance.
Meanwhile, Trump supports the construction of AI-related data centers. Large technology companies in the US are creating a network of computational data centers in small towns. However, leaders from both parties are raising concerns about the growing needs for land, water, and electricity, as well as high electricity bills.
Trump's position clearly demonstrates America's desire to maintain its leadership in the AI race against China, making the issue of slowing down AI development extremely important for the US. Former President Barack Obama previously noted that Democrats should use AI as an electoral issue.
According to Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council, meetings of officials dealing with cybersecurity and science and technology may take place this week to determine the future strategy in AI. Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, also acknowledged the need for safety measures for AI but stressed that maintaining American leadership in this area is critical for national security.
Parallel to these debates, Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic employee, called on both America and China to responsibly control the pace of AI development, calling for cooperation. He expressed concern that if both countries compete without sufficient safeguards, this AI race could lead to dangerous consequences.