Key facts
- House Democrats want lawmakers to stay in session to address AI safeguards.
- Speaker Mike Johnson expressed reluctance to extend the session.
- Johnson compared concerns about AI risks to climate change warnings.
- Johnson cautioned against excessive regulation, citing national security and China's AI advancements.
- Johnson plans to meet with top AI lab executives late this week or early next week.
House Democrats are urging Speaker Mike Johnson to extend the legislative session beyond the scheduled recess to address artificial intelligence safeguards. However, Johnson has indicated little appetite for keeping lawmakers in Washington to tackle the issue.
Johnson downplayed concerns about AI posing an existential risk to humanity, likening them to what he perceives as overblown warnings about climate change. He referenced a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump that called theories of AI-induced human extinction a "HOAX."
A spokesperson for Johnson referred to his prior comments, where he stated, "We do not want to jump in — the reflex of legislative bodies is to cover things up with red tape and hyperregulation." He added that such actions could lead to losing an "edge" in the AI race, which he views as a national security concern, particularly in relation to China's advancements.