Pentagon CTO Says Government Should Avoid Taking Stakes in Tech Companies, Questions New AI Rules

Emil Michael, the Pentagon's chief technology officer, said the U.S. government should not take equity stakes in major technology companies, according to CNBC. He also questioned the need for additional regulations on artificial intelligence, the outlet reported.

Michael's comments come amid an ongoing debate in Washington over the government's role in the technology sector and how aggressively artificial intelligence should be regulated, according to CNBC.

President Donald Trump has publicly pushed back against calls from industry figures and lawmakers for a slowdown in AI development or for greater regulatory oversight of the sector, CNBC reported.

The remarks from Michael, in his capacity as the Pentagon's top technology official, add another voice from within the administration to the broader discussion over how the federal government should approach both ownership stakes in private tech firms and the regulatory framework governing AI systems.

CNBC's report did not provide further detail on the specific context or setting in which Michael made these comments, nor additional specifics on the nature of the AI rules he questioned.