AI leaders Amodei, Altman warn of safety dangers as Trump blasts 'sick conspiracy'

Boom Supersonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl pushed back on calls for the government to slow artificial intelligence development, arguing that companies should take responsibility for the products they release.

“If someone’s concerned about making a product that could do some harm, don’t ship the product,” Scholl said.

Scholl argued that existing laws can address deliberate misuse, comparing AI to a baseball bat used to attack someone. In that case, he said, the user should be held responsible rather than the manufacturer.

But he drew a line when an AI system acts on its own.

“If a model maker creates a model that goes off and does bad on its own, that is the model maker’s responsibility,” Scholl said. “The accountability here is not rocket science.”

Scholl said the government could clarify where responsibility falls but questioned broader efforts to slow development. Senate negotiators are considering legislation that would impose a “duty of care” on advanced AI developers.

“There’s a lot of doom talk,” he said, “but what I see is good stuff happening.”

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich argued that the United States must lead the global artificial intelligence race while protecting communities from the impact of massive data centers.

Gingrich told “Kudlow” that policymakers face two separate challenges: fears that AI could escape human control and practical concerns about water, electricity costs and local authority.

“We would have sort of a contract for data centers that says every community has certain rights and is not going to be run over by some trillion-dollar corporation,” the Fox News contributor said.

Public opposition to data centers has grown amid concerns about utility costs, water use and limited local benefits.

At the same time, Gingrich warned that falling behind China would create a serious national security threat. At the same time, Gingrich warned that the U.S. could face “grave danger” if it falls behind China in the development of artificial intelligence.

Gingrich said concerns about data centers also extend to “MAGA Republicans” who do not want large corporations overpowering their communities.

“We have to remain totally committed to being the leading country in the world,” he said, while ensuring local communities are protected.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., called for a “measured approach” to artificial intelligence that includes emergency safeguards without halting development as the U.S. competes with China.

“I do think that there needs to be kill switches in place,” Luna told reporters, including Fox News’ Dan Scully.

Luna, who represents Florida’s 13th Congressional District, said she opposes a moratorium because it could allow China to surpass the United States.

“Whoever controls AI essentially will influence and control the world,” she said.

Luna argued that safety measures should be developed with input from the War Department and engineers, not solely AI executives. She also called for human oversight and safeguards against hacking while preserving opportunities for smaller companies to compete.

On data centers, Luna said development should remain a state-level issue and floated the possibility of movable offshore facilities in Florida.

“I want people to feel safe and secure,” she said, “but also, too, we have to make sure that we’re not allowing China to beat us in competition.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairman Greg Casar, D-Texas, called for artificial intelligence executives to testify under oath, alleging that OpenAI and Anthropic withheld key information from lawmakers.

“These AI CEOs need to come before Congress and be put under oath,” Casar told Fox News’ Dan Scully.

Casar said he and more than 30 lawmakers asked both companies detailed questions about incidents involving their AI systems but received responses that omitted important facts.

“Either they deceived Congress or they didn’t know about some of their own technology, which in some cases is even more worrisome,” he said.

Casar also criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson’s call for technology companies to take responsibility for AI safety.

“That’s like saying it should be bank robbers that are responsible for bank safety,” Casar said.

He urged Congress to act before leaving Washington, warning about possible threats to jobs, privacy and critical institutions.

“What happens if they hack a hospital next?” Casar asked. “I don’t want to find out.”

Vertiv CEO Giordano Albertazzi said demand for data-center infrastructure remains strong despite calls to slow the development of increasingly powerful artificial intelligence models.

“This will not stop the adoption of AI and the evolution of AI,” Albertazzi said in a Fox Business exclusive. “And hence, [it] will not stop the infrastructure build-out for AI.”

Vertiv provides power and cooling systems for data centers and has expanded its capacity amid growing AI demand.

Albertazzi said existing AI technology still has “a lot of adoption runway,” with demand for computing capacity continuing to outpace supply.

He also addressed concerns about data centers’ power and water use, saying closed-loop cooling systems can recirculate the same water for years rather than continually consuming it.

“It is important to understand what’s behind the concerns,” Albertazzi said.

“AI is certainly increasing the pace of the economy,” he added. “That’s not going to be stopped.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called for an immediate pause on advanced artificial intelligence development, warning that emerging systems could escape human control.

“We have no other choice but to act,” Sanders told reporters.

His proposed Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act would prohibit superintelligent AI and pause advanced development until a federal regulator establishes safety rules.

Sanders called President Donald Trump “mentally unstable” and said lawmakers may need to “figure out a way to go around” him. Trump has rejected a broad slowdown, arguing it could allow China to overtake the U.S.

Sanders also urged Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to pursue an international agreement banning superintelligence, comparing it to Cold War nuclear arms negotiations.

“Congress is, at best, a slow-moving institution,” Sanders said. “But I would hope that we rise to the occasion.”

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., compared growing fears over artificial intelligence to the Y2K panic, arguing that Congress should resist rushed regulation and focus on keeping America ahead of China.

“It reminds me a lot of the year 2000,” the Florida congressman and Army veteran said, comparing today’s AI warnings to fears that computer systems would fail during the Y2K transition.

Steube spoke after Democratic lawmakers called for urgent action to slow AI development and strengthen safeguards.

“I think we should get out of the fearmongering and know that we’re not going to govern by fear in the United States Congress,” he said.

Steube warned that sweeping restrictions could give Beijing an advantage as the two countries compete for technological dominance.

“The last thing that we want to see happen is China beat us on the AI frontier,” he said. “We need to be focused on national security first.”

Conservative commentator and Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro argued that artificial intelligence-driven productivity could help the United States overcome its mounting national debt, warning that efforts to slow the technology could choke off a crucial path to economic growth.

“We’re running a $40 trillion debt right now,” Shapiro said on “Kudlow.” “Taxation is not going to make up for that.”

Shapiro said the country must either make deep spending cuts or generate enough economic growth to outpace its mounting debt.

“The only way you’re going to get productivity increases of the size and scope we’re talking about are with AI,” he said. “You have to outgrow it. It’s the only way.”

Shapiro accused Democrats pushing for greater AI regulation of threatening that potential progress, arguing that they see an opportunity for the government to seize control of the rapidly developing technology.

He compared restrictions on AI development to “locking the doors and the windows” while America’s fiscal house burns.

Shapiro said President Donald Trump is “absolutely right” to emphasize AI’s potential to fuel productivity and economic growth

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called on Congress to establish national guardrails for the most powerful artificial intelligence systems, arguing that America can lead the global race without surrendering human control.

“America should lead the world in developing artificial intelligence, and that leadership must keep people firmly in control,” the Republican governor said Monday.

Cox proposed requiring companies to report serious safety incidents, protect employees and independent evaluators who raise credible concerns and submit advanced models to rigorous outside testing.

He also called for blocking the sale of powerful AI chips and supporting infrastructure to China.

Cox said federal rules should serve as a national baseline while preserving states’ authority over consumer protections, child safety, workforce development and local AI policies.

The governor also urged AI laboratories to act voluntarily while Congress considers legislation by disclosing dangerous incidents, protecting whistleblowers and ensuring their systems’ capabilities do not outpace developers’ ability to control them.

“We can build the world’s most advanced AI here in America while ensuring it remains firmly in service of humanity,” Cox said.

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro warned that Democratic calls for artificial intelligence regulation could smother economic progress and hand the government greater control over a transformative technology.

Shapiro told Fox Business’ “Kudlow” that Democrats see public anxiety and warnings from industry leaders as an opportunity to intervene in the rapidly growing sector.

“They feel this is a great opportunity for the government to jump in and grab control of the thing and then basically strangle it to death,” Shapiro said.

He argued that aggressive regulation could block productivity gains and ultimately leave Americans poorer.

Shapiro also pointed to the unlikely alliance between Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who are expected to appear together at an event calling for stronger AI restrictions.

“It feels like a coordinated operation to stop the progress of AI in favor of government regulation,” Shapiro said.

Two leading voices in artificial intelligence weighed the risks of rapidly advancing technology against the danger of America losing its edge in the global AI race.

Stability AI co-founder Emad Mostaque and Machine Intelligence Research Institute President Nate Soares joined “The Will Cain Show” to discuss whether developers should slow the creation of increasingly powerful systems.

The debate has intensified as top industry leaders call for more time to build safeguards, warning that AI capabilities are advancing faster than researchers’ ability to understand or control them.

“I think that there’s a lot of things being conflated here,” Mostaque said, distinguishing fears of AI destroying humanity from concerns about economic disruption and job losses. He questioned what specific regulations industry leaders actually want, suggesting the warnings may be advancing “other agendas.”

Soares warned that recent incidents have shown AI systems behaving in unexpected and dangerous ways.“These are cases where AIs broke out of containment,” Soares said. “They tried to delete traces of their misbehavior. They committed hacks.”

Soares said the central question is whether AI will become truly dangerous if development continues, while Mostaque argued there are legitimate concerns but skepticism surrounding proposed solutions.

Fox Business host Larry Kudlow dismissed calls to slow artificial intelligence development as an election-year political maneuver, arguing that free-market competition will keep the technology under control while preserving America’s edge over China.

“The AI Armageddon, like the climate hoax, is an election-year Democratic ruse,” Kudlow said during his opening “Kudlow” monologue.

Kudlow acknowledged concerns about AI systems breaking from human instructions but rejected calls for government-directed limits, warning that China and other adversaries would not honor global restrictions.

He also backed White House technology adviser David Sacks, who argued that companies worried about their unreleased models can voluntarily slow development without government permission or protection from antitrust laws.

“Stop pretending the motivation to slow down is purely altruistic,” Sacks wrote, warning that AI companies already face major liability if their technology enables a damaging cyberattack.

Kudlow said allowing private competition to drive AI development would create jobs, raise wages and strengthen America’s technological advantage.

A sharp slowdown in artificial intelligence spending could pose a bigger threat to the stock market than interest rates, inflation or geopolitical turmoil, a top investment strategist warned.

Albion Financial Group CIO Jason Ware told “Making Money” that resilient economic growth and strong corporate earnings could continue pushing stocks higher, but the AI boom has become a crucial pillar of that strength.

“I think the real risk is actually right in front of us, which is what’s happening with AI,” Ware said.

Ware said the five largest technology spenders are expected to pour about $800 billion into capital projects this year, helping fuel broader economic growth. If that investment slows, he warned, markets could become “bumpier.”

Still, Ware sees opportunities in companies supporting the AI buildout. He pointed to Cisco, whose equipment helps power data centers, and Quanta Services, which is helping expand and modernize the nation’s electrical grid.

Ware also remains bullish on Broadcom despite trimming his position after its sharp run-up, arguing that the company remains a leader in custom AI chips.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong backed President Donald Trump’s opposition to slowing artificial intelligence development, warning that heavy-handed oversight could allow China to race ahead.

“I agree with President Trump on that,” Armstrong told Liz Claman ahead of Tuesday’s procedural Senate vote on the Clarity Act.

Armstrong argued that AI companies already face legal consequences if their products harm people and questioned calls to create a new federal agency dedicated to policing the technology.

“That would probably just slow us down and benefit China on the AI front,” he said.

Armstrong said Washington should treat AI more like the early internet, when a light regulatory approach helped American companies become global leaders.

“That’s what allowed America to build all of the leading internet companies, and that’s what will allow America to build the leading AI companies,” he said.

Trump has dismissed growing fears about AI as a “hoax,” arguing that aggressive regulation would weaken American innovation and hand Beijing an advantage.

Armstrong also expressed confidence that the Clarity Act, which would establish a federal framework for digital assets, will ultimately pass. Tuesday’s procedural vote requires 60 votes to advance.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris joined the escalating debate over artificial intelligence Monday, calling for a responsible slowdown in frontier AI development and sweeping new federal oversight.

“The frontier of artificial intelligence is advancing at an alarming speed,” Harris said in a statement.

Harris argued that slowing development would not mean abandoning AI’s potential benefits in fields such as medicine. Instead, she said, it would give the government and industry time to establish guardrails preventing the technology from escaping human control.

The former vice president urged Congress to pass new AI laws and create a federal entity responsible for oversight, accountability and independent testing.

Harris also called on President Donald Trump to pursue an international agreement with China and other nations aimed at limiting dangerous uses of AI, controlling the pace of development and creating global testing standards.

Her proposal stands in sharp contrast to Trump, who dismissed fears that AI could destroy humanity as a “hoax” and warned that slowing American development could allow China to seize the lead.

AI leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk, have backed slowing the development of increasingly powerful systems.

Sen. Rick Scott called on artificial intelligence companies to slow their development of powerful systems, while warning Congress against rushing regulations that could hand China control of the technology.

The Florida Republican said he agreed with White House AI adviser David Sacks that companies sounding the alarm should take responsibility for making their own products safer.

“These companies have said what they are building could kill mankind,” Scott wrote on X. “Seems pretty obvious they need to slow down now.”

But Scott warned that the United States cannot surrender its technological advantage to Beijing, arguing that China could develop dangerous AI and write the global rules if America fails to lead.

Scott said Congress should eventually craft thoughtful safeguards but predicted that no AI legislation would pass this year, citing Washington’s broader dysfunction.

“AI companies need to be good corporate citizens, protect our kids’ safety online and do the right thing without fear of their bottom line,” Scott wrote.

A top Pentagon technology official rejected warnings that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity, calling the growing alarm a coordinated “fearmongering” campaign.

Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael told Martha MacCallum in an exclusive appearance on “The Story” that current AI technology does not possess that capability.

“If they thought they were unsafe, they could just invest in the safety aspect rather than revenue-generating aspects and have it be safe,” Michael said.

Michael backed President Donald Trump’s push to keep American AI companies competing, warning that bringing rivals together to control development could lead to collusion and weaken the United States against China.

“We want competition in this marketplace, not collusion,” he said. “Whoever wins in AI wins.”

Michael also dismissed the possibility of quickly securing a sweeping international AI agreement with Beijing as “fantasyland,” arguing that China would benefit from any deal slowing the U.S. while America remains ahead.

While acknowledging legitimate risks, including AI-enabled cyberattacks and biological weapons, Michael said existing civil and criminal laws could punish companies that release dangerous products.

Artificial intelligence is moving deeper into medicine, helping researchers personalize cancer treatments, uncover new uses for existing drugs and spot biological clues the human eye may miss.

One experimental melanoma therapy uses algorithms to analyze a patient’s tumor and select targets that could train the immune system to recognize the cancer. Moderna and Merck recently announced positive Phase 3 results, though the treatment has not been approved by the FDA. Elsewhere, researchers are using AI to sift through existing medications for potential new uses and locate rare sperm cells missed during conventional fertility testing.

One AI-powered system developed at Columbia University has already helped produce a healthy baby. Other tools under development could detect heart risks years earlier by identifying subtle patterns in blood.

While many breakthroughs remain experimental, researchers say AI could dramatically change how diseases are detected and treated.

Read Kurt Knutsson’s full report here.