Former President Barack Obama recently emphasized that Democrats must prioritize artificial intelligence as one of their “primary agendas” and “develop a clear strategy” to tackle issues related to the technology’s economic ramifications and safety, as reported by The New York Times.

Obama shared these insights on Thursday during a Democratic fundraising event where he was interviewed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The NYT indicates that Obama’s office supplied a partial transcript of the gathering, where Jeffries queried Obama about how congressional Democrats ought to address AI.

In reply, Obama stated that once Democrats reclaim the House majority, they should “create a framework for an open dialogue.”

“This is evolving very rapidly within private sectors, and if we don’t take control, I believe it could pose risks,” Obama commented. “Conversely, if we manage it effectively, I genuinely believe it’s advantageous. I think it’s going to expedite, for instance, drug development in ways that can assist us in curing ailments.”

In a statement, Jeffries noted that the former president “is right that urgent action must be taken regarding artificial intelligence.” Jeffries also mentioned that “Republicans have relinquished their duty to govern for the American populace.”

The NYT further reports that Obama has positioned himself as a “sounding board” for AI leaders and has engaged in discussions with both Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. His statements arise amid increasing apprehension regarding AI safety, particularly following an AI researcher’s resignation from Anthropic, who asserted that major AI firms are “racing directly toward self-improving superintelligence and risking our lives.” 

On Saturday, Amodei presented a comprehensive strategy for “pacing the frontier,” which would involve granting independent safety assessors access to leading AI companies and their models, in addition to establishing “universal safety standards” among companies. In social media remarks, Altman and SpaceX CEO Musk appeared to positively acknowledge Amodei’s initiative, with Altman stating that OpenAI would likewise pledge to “engage independent evaluators with access similar to that of employees.”

President Donald Trump, on the other hand, addressed AI safety issues with reporters at an Irish golf event on Sunday. Bloomberg mentions that Trump claimed the United States is “the most advanced nation globally,” continuing that he intends “to maintain it because whomever excels in AI prevails.” (Earlier this year, the Trump administration unveiled a legislative framework for AI that aimed to supersede state regulations and transfer child safety responsibilities to parents.)

“And we can implement safeguards,” Trump remarked. “We can accomplish this and that. However, I believe there are numerous negative entities that should not be raising these matters.”