US speaker rejects AI pause, warns of losing edge to China

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday rejected calls for a moratorium on artificial intelligence development, arguing that slowing progress would hand a strategic advantage to China and carry national security consequences for American families. He said the industry should be allowed to police itself in large part, while noting some oversight measures — such as independent audits and greater transparency from developers — would be appropriate if implemented carefully. Those remarks track with President Donald Trump’s public posture on AI. Trump has characterized heightened fears about the technology as overblown and argued that existing government powers and leadership can keep companies in check, while warning that efforts to slow AI could benefit China. Despite Johnson and the president pushing back against a pause, concern about AI risks has surfaced across ideological lines. At a Washington event on Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders warned that AI could eliminate “tens of millions” of jobs and pressed for binding safety rules, citing research that used AI to design novel viruses as an example of potential biosecurity dangers. Steve Bannon, speaking at the same event, described AI as the defining issue of the era and urged slowing development to better understand risks, praising bipartisan attention to the topic. Johnson said he discussed the issue with Trump on Monday night and indicated that leaders from major AI firms will be invited to a White House meeting within the coming week. The exchanges highlight a growing policy debate in the U.S. over whether to rely on industry self-regulation and targeted oversight or to pursue more stringent controls — a choice with implications for jobs, public safety and international competition.