WASHINGTON (AP) - Technology leaders are issuing increasingly urgent warnings about artificial intelligence's potential harm, but their calls are meeting political resistance in Washington. President Donald Trump dismissed efforts to limit the technology this week as a "conspiracy," while other leading Republicans expressed caution and House Speaker Mike Johnson largely deferred to the White House.
The clash reveals a widening gap between a tech sector warning of existential threats and a federal government that often struggles to accomplish basic functions under partisan pressure and election-year distractions. "The signals we're receiving from our political leaders are not representing an understanding of the crisis that I think we are in fact in," said Max Stier, president and chief executive of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. "Delay is going to prove very costly."
A history of crisis response meets current gridlock
Congress and the White House have managed swift responses to past emergencies. During Trump's first term, his administration worked with Democrats to stabilize the economy and produce COVID-19 vaccines. President George W. Bush's team collaborated with congressional Democrats to inject money into the financial system during the 2007-2008 collapse. But regulating the technology industry has long stalled on Capitol Hill.
The Biden administration's 2023 executive order on AI oversight, which Trump rescinded after returning to office, had called on lawmakers to develop policies. A bipartisan working group led by then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recommended in 2024 that the U.S. spend at least $32 billion over three years on artificial intelligence development and safeguards. Little followed. A bipartisan bill on internet safety for children has repeatedly stalled as well.
"We never do anything until we have a holy heck moment," said Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat and former technology executive.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., was blunt about Congress's capacity to act. "Have we gotten election security done? Did we balance a budget? Oh, did we pass a budget? See, what have we gotten done? So you think we're going to get AI done?"
Signs of movement amid skepticism
Some lawmakers are showing renewed urgency. After tech leaders including Anthropic's Dario Amodei, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and xAI's Elon Musk called for greater oversight, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he spoke with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., about a "path forward" on legislation. "You don't want to stifle innovation, but I think you also want to make sure that the more advanced threats can be mitigated," Thune said.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., plans to offer a kill switch measure Wednesday that would require developers to have the capacity to shut down their systems if needed. It would need full Senate support to advance. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., opened an investigation last week into OpenAI after its AI system reportedly hacked into another AI company on its own.
Democrats are convening as well. House members met privately Tuesday to discuss AI, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is hosting a briefing with experts Wednesday. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia is pressing for sweeping action and cast the debate as an example of Washington's inability to tackle major challenges. "What fills us with dread is the crushing weakness of our politics against the massive stakes of our times," he said at a reelection rally in Athens, Georgia.
For those who have navigated past crises, the inertia is baffling. Rahm Emanuel, Barack Obama's chief of staff during the financial crisis and a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said, "Earth to Washington: You're pushing an open door. In my entire time of public service, I've never had an industry or a CEO ask for regulation and oversight."
Trump's opposition and the election calendar
Any legislation that emerges would require Trump's backing, which currently appears unlikely. The president dismissed oversight efforts Monday as a "conspiracy." Vice President JD Vance has also expressed caution. In the House, Speaker Johnson seemed downbeat on a legislative response, calling instead for Trump to summon AI leaders for a meeting. "The reflex of legislative bodies is to cover things up with red tape and hyper regulation," he said.
With Congress poised to adjourn at the end of the week and not return until after the November elections, fast movement on legislation seems improbable. Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat who leads in the Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, said Congress is "capable" of passing stronger AI rules and believes there is sufficient support for multiple bills, including a bipartisan measure establishing guardrails for AI models and another with the kill switch provision. "It's very much a leadership issue," Beyer said.
Speaking at a Washington AI conference Tuesday, Trump ally Steve Bannon embraced overlapping views with Sanders. "We have to rise above it," Bannon said. "This is a hinge in history."
Why this matters for government professionals
The current standoff means federal agencies and state governments will continue operating without clear federal AI guardrails, even as the technology accelerates. For policy makers and government staff navigating this uncertainty, understanding AI's capabilities and risks is no longer optional. Resources like the AI Learning Path for Policy Makers can help bridge the knowledge gap while legislative debates unfold. Professionals tracking federal AI developments can also monitor updates through AI for Government resources that focus on the intersection of artificial intelligence and public-sector work.
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