In Washington, political figures from opposing sides of the spectrum, including independent Senator Bernie Sanders and conservative strategist Steve Bannon, are finding unexpected common ground. Both are scheduled to speak at Tuesday’s Pro-Human Assembly to push for regulatory guardrails on artificial intelligence. The bipartisan gathering brings together lawmakers and public figures advocating for a human-centric approach to technological development. Public anxiety surrounding the rapid growth of artificial intelligence has intensified. Earlier this month, AI researcher Jacob Coxon publicly resigned from Anthropic, the developer of the Claude app. Coxon warned that while the technology is currently safe, increasingly powerful future systems could pose an existential threat to humanity. He accused industry leaders at Anthropic and ChatGPT maker OpenAI of gambling with lives through an unchecked development race. Industry executives have also signaled caution. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently called for a slowdown among frontier AI labs, a sentiment echoed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Meanwhile, President Trump dismissed concerns about rapid development in a series of social media posts, labeling fears a hoax and asserting that strong executive leadership is sufficient to manage the technology. However, lawmakers at the conference emphasized that public apprehension extends far beyond politics. Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas noted that his constituents worry about the practical impacts of data centers, including local noise and high water consumption, as well as broader societal implications for their children and communities. Roy expressed skepticism toward both the president’s stance and the motivations of AI executives who might benefit from monopolistic market controls. Democratic Representative Greg Casar also addressed the assembly, comparing the current technological climate to a Cold War arms race and stressing the need to prioritize humanity above all else. Democratic Representative Lori Trahan highlighted emerging bipartisan legislation, such as the FRONTIER Act, which she introduced alongside Republican Representative Jay Obernolte to establish independent evaluations for advanced AI models. While acknowledging that leadership rhetoric can complicate legislative efforts, Trahan expressed optimism about future policy momentum. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that congressional leaders and AI executives are set to meet with President Trump at the White House within the week. Simultaneously, Vice President JD Vance acknowledged voter concerns, emphasizing the administration’s intent to pursue thoughtful and smart regulations to address the technology’s inherent risks and benefits.
Source: cbsnews.com
