Harris backs AI slowdown amid growing safety fears

Kamala Harris joined calls to slow down the pace of artificial intelligence development, warning Monday that the technology could "escape human control" without stronger safeguards.

"The frontier of artificial intelligence is advancing at an alarming speed," the former vice president said in a statement on X, arguing that slowing the development of the most advanced AI systems doesn't mean giving up on the potential "life-saving benefits in fields like medicine."

"Rather, it is about setting up sensible guardrails so that AI does not completely escape human control and endanger our safety and collective future," Harris added.

Harris' statement comes after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on AI companies to slow the development of their most advanced models. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk subsequently backed the push, marking a rare point of agreement among leaders of rival AI companies.

Harris is the latest prominent Democrat to speak out about the technology in the wake of the AI leaders' calls.

Former President Barack Obama warned Thursday in a closed-door fundraiser that the technology is at an inflection point and urged Democrats to more aggressively focus on an AI agenda.

Harris, meanwhile, urged Congress to create a new federal entity charged with overseeing and independently testing advanced AI systems. She also called on President Donald Trump to pursue an international agreement with countries including China to restrict dangerous uses of the technology, limit its development speed and adopt global testing standards.

Trump has rejected the industry's warnings, calling concerns about AI risks a "hoax" and a "sick conspiracy" and arguing that slowing development could allow China to overtake the United States.

"I am the Hoax Buster, and I'm right now breaking another Hoax — That AI is going to take over, consume, and destroy the World, and that Robots will be marching into our Cities, and getting rid of us all!, Trump said Monday in a Truth Social post.