House Speaker Johnson says Congress shouldn't lead AI safety efforts
House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected a national moratorium on AI development, emphasizing corporate responsibility and the need for American innovation to compete with China. This stance contrasts with some tech leaders and Democratic lawmakers who advocate for more safeguards and a slowdown in AI development. Public opinion polls indicate significant opposition to AI data center construction in US communities.
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated on CNN's "State of the Union" that artificial intelligence developers, not Congress, should be responsible for AI safety and rejected a national moratorium on AI buildout. The Louisiana Republican cited "obvious corporate responsibility" and the imperative to compete with China as reasons to avoid congressional regulations, warning that a moratorium would cause the U.S. to "lose the race to China."
Johnson's comments come amidst intensifying concerns about AI's potential harms, highlighted by the resignation of Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon and an essay from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei calling for greater precautions. Tech leaders like Elon Musk of xAI and Sam Altman of OpenAI also backed calls for more safeguards and a slowdown in AI development. Conversely, former President Donald Trump dismissed concerns, stating "U.S. communities should accept data centers unless they want to be 'backwards and poor'."
Public opinion polls reveal widespread opposition to AI data centers, with an NBC News poll finding 69% oppose construction in their area and a Gallup survey showing 70% of Americans oppose them. Several Democrats, including Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, criticized congressional inaction on AI. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated AI would be a "high priority" for the Democratic caucus, advocating for decisive action to slow down development and ensure safety.