WASHINGTON, United States: An Obama AI warning has put artificial intelligence policy back in focus after the former president said the technology could become “dangerous” without stronger oversight.
Barack Obama made the remarks at a private fundraising event, according to the New York Times. “This is something that is moving very fast in private hands,” Obama said. He added that failing to address the technology’s development could create dangers.
Obama also urged House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to prepare a public framework for artificial intelligence policy if Democrats regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the November 3 midterm elections.
“Once you are Speaker, I would strongly urge that the Democrats put together a framework for a very public conversation,” Obama told Jeffries, according to the newspaper.
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The former president also said candidates running in the 2028 presidential election should make artificial intelligence a central policy issue.
He called for clear plans addressing both safety concerns and the technology’s economic impact. Obama’s office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
His comments came as some artificial intelligence researchers and industry leaders raised concerns about rapid advances in model capabilities and potential misuse.
Obama’s call to action underscores a growing consensus that artificial intelligence must move from a secondary tech topic to a core legislative priority. Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei also called for greater caution in developing more capable systems.
