Former US President Barack Obama (2009-2017) asked his party leaders to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) be a central issue in the Democrats’ campaigns for the next legislative and presidential elections, according to US media reports this Sunday.
Obama warned of the “danger” of AI at a fundraiser in New York with the leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffriesaccording to a transcript of his speech obtained by media outlets such as the New York Times, CNN and Politico.
“This is something that is moving very quickly in private hands and, if we don’t get on with it, I think it can be dangerous.“Obama reportedly said at the event last Thursday. “If we take control of it, I do think it’s beneficial,” he added.
The former president stated that whoever competes in the 2028 presidential elections should have a “very clear plan” on AI, acknowledging that he considered a “guide” necessary to regulate artificial intelligence even at the end of his government a decade ago, according to CNN.
“Without a doubt, if I were running for president next year, this would be one of my central agendasand I would have a very clear plan, and I would talk about this, and I would say: ‘This is our security plan, this is our plan to make sure that our children are not corrupted by this,’” he said.
His statements contrast with those of the current president of the United States, Donald Trump, who this Sunday called those who ask to regulate artificial intelligence “negative forces,” considering that the United States is “leading China in AI” and he wants to “keep it that way”.
Trump refused to pause AI despite the controversy sparked on Saturday by Dario Amodei, founder of Anthropic, when he published an essay in which he urged “a slower pace” for the industry in the face of growing security risks, to which his rivals joined. Sam Altman of OpenAI and Elon Musk of xAIan unprecedented fact in the sector.
Amodei accused the industry this Sunday of “lying to people” about the risks of AI after warning in his essay of dangers such as the misuse of technology for possible cyberattacks and bioterrorism, the loss of control of AI systems and economic disruption.
Seven in 10 Americans, 70%, consider themselves “more worried than excited” about AI, and a similar share, 69%, reject building data centers in their community, including majorities of all major parties, according to an NBC News poll from a week ago. EFE