Barack Obama warned that AI could become disastrous for its developers if it determined that humans were no longer necessary.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The rapid pace of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom has entered the political debate amid warnings that, if left unchecked, the technology could pose serious risks to humanity.
Former President Barack Obama has also spoken about the potential risks of AI, arguing that the federal government needs to establish rules and safeguards for companies developing the technology.
Obama says the market alone cannot ensure AI safety
After some of President Donald Trump’s advisers argued that market forces could address AI safety risks, Barack Obama challenged that approach, saying potentially dangerous industries have historically been subject to government oversight.
Obama discussed Trump’s approach to AI during a Friday, September 18, conversation at Colgate University. He described AI as “remarkable technology” but warned that it could go off the rails and cause serious “mischief” without appropriate guardrails.
“I heard one of Donald Trump’s main advisers on this make the argument that, ‘The market will take care of AI. These companies will solve the safety issues because they have every incentive to do so — if it turns out to be dangerous, people will just sue them,’” Obama said.
“That’s not how we treat airlines,” Obama added. “Or drug companies, or food companies.”
Obama also warned about the possibility of AI becoming dangerous if it is developed or used by people with harmful intentions.
He pointed to scenarios in which increasingly capable AI systems could potentially be used for malicious purposes. Reports have also raised concerns about the use of AI tools in developing software for weapons, highlighting broader debates over how the technology could be misused.
Obama further warned that if AI systems become capable of improving future versions of themselves and eventually determine that they no longer need human involvement, the consequences could be disastrous for the people who developed them.
Obama calls for industry restraint and stronger government oversight
Addressing the broader debate over AI regulation, Obama argued that the United States needs a serious regulatory framework rather than relying solely on voluntary industry measures.
He said there is currently a gap in federal policy while AI technology is advancing rapidly, and he called for “voluntary industry restraint” as an interim measure until Congress and the executive branch take more concrete action.
“So we’ve got a gap of at least a couple of years where things are moving really fast, and we have an administration that is not capable of or willing to — I would argue both — putting together a serious regulatory framework,” Obama said.
Obama has also recently called for government action on AI safety, saying voluntary standards established by technology companies alone would not be sufficient and urging policymakers to develop concrete laws and regulations addressing safety, jobs and children’s well-being.
Previously, reports indicated that Obama had urged Democrats to make AI a central part of their policy agenda.
According to reporting by The New York Times, Obama advised House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to focus on AI and develop a framework for discussing the technology’s impact, including its economic and safety implications.