US Tech Leaders Cite China Competition to Defend Rapid AI Development

President Donald Trump this week rejected calls to slow the development of artificial intelligence, citing competition with China as a central reason, according to a report by the Guardian.

When reporters asked Trump whether he supported proposals to slow AI development amid growing concerns about cybersecurity, public safety and long-term risks to humanity, he said he did not. "We're leading China in AI," Trump said, according to the report. "We're the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly, I want to keep it that way, because whoever wins AI, wins."

The Guardian reported that concerns about China surpassing the United States in artificial intelligence capabilities have become a significant factor shaping how American technology executives discuss the risks and benefits of the technology. Among those cited is Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, described in the report as one of several Silicon Valley figures characterized as "China hawks."

According to the report, some of these executives express concern both about the possibility of advanced AI systems posing catastrophic risks to humanity and about the prospect of China overtaking the US in AI development. The Guardian's report suggests these two concerns—fear of AI's potential dangers and fear of losing ground to China—have become intertwined in industry and political discourse over AI policy.

The report frames the China comparison as a recurring argument used by figures in government and the technology industry to justify continued rapid development of AI systems, rather than slowing down due to safety concerns.

The Guardian's report did not provide further detail in the excerpt on specific policy proposals for slowing AI development or additional context on the current state of the US-China AI competition.