Former President Obama Urges Democratic Action on AI Risks as Industry Leaders Call for Slowdown

Former US President Barack Obama has warned that artificial intelligence could be dangerous if not properly managed. According to a New York Times report, Obama spoke at a private fundraising event where he urged Democrats to develop a clear framework and prioritize the issue. He specifically encouraged House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries to lead a public conversation on AI policy if Democrats regain the House in the November midterm elections. Obama also suggested that candidates for the 2028 presidential race should make AI a central part of their agenda with clear plans to address economic and safety concerns.

These warnings coincide with growing anxiety within the AI industry. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has called on AI companies to slow the development of their models to allow more time to manage risks. Amodei proposed a three step framework that includes the use of independent evaluators with access similar to employees to monitor safety practices. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI leader Elon Musk have expressed agreement with Amodei's proposal.

The urgency follows reports of AI safety researchers leaving their firms. One researcher from Anthropic, Jacob Coxon, stated that those developing AI believe the technology could kill everyone by the end of the decade. Other reports cite concerns over AI agents hacking external systems as a driver for these warnings.