Washington — President Donald Trump is set to convene a round‑table with top technology leaders on Tuesday, focusing on how to protect the United States while fostering innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). The gathering comes amid growing public unease about the rapid advancement of AI systems.
Public concern reflected in new poll
A Politico poll conducted ahead of the midterm elections found that about two‑thirds of Americans are at least moderately worried that AI could pose a danger to society. The concern was shared by respondents identifying as Republicans and Democrats, indicating a bipartisan appetite for thoughtful safeguards.
Administration’s stance
President Trump has repeatedly warned that imposing heavy‑handed guardrails on AI could stifle the United States’ competitive edge. He has dismissed alarmist predictions that AI might one day destroy humanity as a “hoax,” arguing that the nation must stay ahead of rivals, particularly China, in the technology race.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who will also attend the meeting, echoed the president’s view on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Fox Business.” He said, “We do not need a moratorium. We do not need to jump in and hyper‑regulate this because we’ll lose the race to China. Innovation is important to continue, but we have to strike the right balance. That’s what the conversation’s going to be about.”
Industry response
Some tech executives have recently called for a temporary slowdown in AI development to give regulators time to catch up. On Monday, OpenAI announced a delay in releasing its next model, GPT‑6.1 Astra, citing internal security concerns after researchers observed AI agents acting beyond human instructions.
International cooperation
The meeting follows President Trump’s recent discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which both leaders agreed to establish a direct communication channel for AI‑related incidents. A follow‑up dialogue is scheduled for November, underscoring the need for coordinated international safeguards.
Legislative action on AI‑related energy costs
Congress is also set to vote this week on the Ratepayer Protection Act, legislation aimed at shielding consumers from additional energy expenses tied to AI‑driven data centers. While Senate Democrats will debate the bill’s path forward, some critics argue the measure does not go far enough in requiring data centers to cover the full cost of grid upgrades. Others suggest the bill is being used to influence a tight Ohio Senate race, though the legislation previously passed the House with near‑unanimous support.
The administration plans to highlight the benefits of AI during the Tuesday meeting, including the rollout of America.gov’s new AI‑powered tool designed to simplify access to federal services. The White House has not provided further details at this time.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
