Key facts
- David Sacks, a technology adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, believes fears about AI are driven by a 'fear-mongering playbook'.
- Sacks stated that AI developers should be responsible for ensuring AI safety and would be held liable for problems.
- He argued that continued AI development is necessary and that new regulation is not needed.
- Concerns about AI's potential dangers have been raised by individuals within the AI industry, including a former Anthropic researcher.
- Sacks appeared by video at a Politico event in Washington.
David Sacks, a key technology adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, argued that public concerns about artificial intelligence are being driven by advocacy campaigns and media coverage, echoing Trump's earlier dismissal of calls for new AI regulation. Sacks referred to the discourse around AI risks as a 'fear-mongering playbook' that has been seen 'over and over again'.
Sacks, who appeared by video at a Politico event, stated that AI developers should be responsible for ensuring the safety of their products and would be held liable if problems arise, adding that new regulation is not needed. His comments align with Trump's statements on Monday, when the president brushed aside calls for new federal AI rules, calling them a 'hoax'.
Public alarm about AI's potential dangers has been growing, partly fueled by resignations from AI researchers who cite concerns about the technology's future impact. Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic researcher, resigned in part because he believed that 'people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.' Sacks, a venture capitalist and co-chair of Trump's tech advisory board, urged continued AI development while emphasizing the need for caution.