Former President Barack Obama recently urged Democrats to make artificial intelligence a central agenda, calling for a clear plan to address its economic impact and safety. Obama made these remarks during a Democratic fundraising event where he was interviewed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Obama highlighted the rapid development of AI in private hands, warning that without a public framework, the technology could pose dangers. He also expressed optimism about AI’s potential to accelerate drug development and cure diseases.
Jeffries echoed Obama’s concerns, stating that decisive action on AI is necessary and criticizing Republicans for abandoning their responsibility to govern. Obama has also offered himself as a sounding board for AI executives, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Amodei outlined a plan to pace the AI frontier, including independent safety evaluators and common safety standards. Both Altman and Elon Musk appeared to support the initiative, with Altman committing to independent evaluators with employee-like access.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump addressed AI safety at an Irish golf event, boasting about the U.S. being the most sophisticated country and expressing confidence in maintaining its leadership in AI.
Obama did not specify the exact measures Democrats should take, and the conversation remains open on how to balance innovation with safety. The discussion continues as AI safety concerns grow, particularly after an AI researcher resigned from Anthropic, citing risks of self-improving superintelligence.
Source: techcrunch
