Trump Dismisses AI Deceleration Calls: "We Must Stay Ahead of China"

Industry Warnings Mount, but Acceleration Continues
U.S.-China 'Prisoner's Dilemma'
Spotlight on U.S.-China Summit on the 24th

Concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) potentially escaping human control have led to growing calls within the industry to "slow down" the pace of development. However, U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to accelerating AI development, citing competition with China as the chief reason to stay the course. Both the United States and China are caught in a classic "prisoner's dilemma," each hesitant to impose regulations out of fear that the other will not slow down AI development. As the U.S.-China summit approaches on September 24, there is increasing attention on whether the issue will be discussed.

U.S. President Donald Trump. White House

Speaking to the press at his Doonbeg golf course in Ireland on September 13 (local time), President Trump responded to a question about whether the AI industry should slow its pace of development or implement stronger regulations by saying, "We are ahead of China in AI. To be honest, the winner in the AI race will win overall, so I want to maintain where we are."

He continued, "We are the most technologically advanced nation in the world. The one who wins in AI is the winner. I coined that phrase, but it is true," he emphasized.

President Trump did not completely dismiss the need for AI safeguards. "We can put in safety mechanisms and take various measures," he said, adding, "But there are too many negative forces bringing up issues that don’t need to be raised. They are talking about things that are not going to happen."

Recently, researchers from Anthropic and Google have warned that AI could escape human control and pose a dire threat to humanity, prompting a series of resignations. Since then, industry figures including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have advocated for slowing down AI development. However, President Trump made it clear that, despite these warnings, he will prioritize competition with China and maintain the current policy on AI development.

Kevin Hassett, White House National Economic Council Director, also defended President Trump, saying that warnings from the industry are unlikely to cause serious market disruption. Hassett explained, "These technologies have advanced rapidly so far, and their safety has been managed under the guidance of independent firms and Sean Cairncross, director of the White House National Cyber Directorate. We should continue in this way."

While he acknowledged the possibility that AI agents could compromise cybersecurity, Hassett pointed out, "A much greater risk is that a malicious actor obtains AI superior to our protective AI." He emphasized, "The U.S. must ensure its security while making sure that a malicious actor does not develop superior AI that could be used to create biological weapons or the like."

This week, President Trump is expected to convene meetings with officials, including Director Cairncross and Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to discuss AI safety measures. Hassett also suggested, "I understand that lawmakers have strong opinions on this issue, and President Trump will listen to Congress as well."

White House Divided Over AI Regulation 

Inside the Trump Administration, however, divisions over AI regulation persist. According to Bloomberg News, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Director Cairncross have listened to industry concerns and support establishing an independent regulatory agency. On the other hand, more cautious voices, including Director Kratsios, worry that excessive regulation could stifle innovation and allow China to overtake the U.S.

David Sacks, Chair of the White House Council of Advisors on Science and Technology—dubbed the administration's 'AI czar'—took to X (formerly Twitter) the previous day, mocking calls to slow down the pace by CEOs like Amodei by urging them to "keep going."

Sacks added that if AI companies demand regulatory frameworks they favor in exchange for slowing development, it would be seen as "blackmail against the public and the political system." He also pointed out, "There is an extremely low likelihood that China will join a global agreement, and this must be factored in. If companies do not actually slow down, then the slow-down arguments are simply regulatory capture attempts or psychological warfare tactics timed for the election season."

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, speaking on CNN, also emphasized that AI companies are responsible for ensuring their products' safety, but expressed opposition to hasty legislative action. "Congress should not suddenly intervene to impose an emergency moratorium. If lawmakers rush to regulate AI, we will lose to China, and that would be a threat to all Americans," Johnson said. Instead, he proposed that AI companies, the government, and Congress work together to strike a balance between innovation and safety.

U.S.-China 'Prisoner's Dilemma'...Focus on the Summit on the 24th 

The hesitancy in the U.S. to speed up regulation, despite recognizing the risks of AI, reflects the underlying competition for global dominance with China. There are concerns that if only the U.S. tightens regulations while China continues to promote its AI industry at the national level, both private sector innovation and national security could be harmed.

China, likewise, finds it difficult to strengthen independent regulations without being sure that the U.S. will slow down its development. While cooperation could reduce AI risks, mutual suspicions that each side would fail to honor any agreement have kept the competition alive—a textbook example of the prisoner's dilemma. Unlike nuclear weapons, compliance with AI development agreements is also hard to verify.

With just two months to go before the U.S. midterm elections, it is unlikely that legislation mandating an immediate "kill switch" for AI models will gain much momentum. While new data center construction and electricity costs are emerging as election issues, discussions on sweeping AI safety regulation have seen little progress.

This sets the stage for the upcoming U.S.-China summit at the White House on the 24th between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The focus will be on whether both sides can agree to at least basic safety mechanisms or consultation frameworks to lower the risks of an AI development race.

It is also reported that, considering the importance of AI-related issues, the U.S. and China have pursued separate high-level meetings before the main summit. However, it remains unclear whether there will be a meeting solely on AI or whether it will be addressed as part of broader economic consultations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.