Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Denouncing Trump’s Reckless AI Policy Declarations At The UNGA And Continued Opposition To AI Guardrails

Washington D.C. – Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor to denounce Donald Trump’s reckless statements on artificial intelligence at the United Nations General Assembly and to urge his Republican colleagues to join Senate Democrats in trying to responsibly govern an unchecked, rapidly-changing industry. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Trump continued to downplay the dangers of AI during his speech at the UN General Assembly today – completely ignoring the concerns of the American people and the people of the world.

After rambling on about how he wants to rename “artificial intelligence” “super intelligence,” Trump said he’ll oppose, oppose any global effort to regulate AI.

Trump said, “we will only encourage superintelligence. We’re going to encourage it, not rein it in.” Seriously? Talk about a formula for disaster.

Let’s be absolutely clear: stepping away from the table on AI governance, at the same time the administration has defunded and withdrawn from countless international organizations, is a massive gift to China who would be thrilled to fill the gap Trump is creating.

China is already doubling down on maximizing its influence at the UN and creating its own international organizations on AI so it can set the rules of the road for this new technology. That’s what America should be doing, Donald Trump. You’re creating vacuums, letting the Chinese fill them, and then rant against them.

Even the industry leaders building AI are calling for guardrails. Everybody seems to recognize the potential dangers of unchecked AI development except Donald Trump.

What does Trump know that we don’t? What makes Trump think that AI is harmless? America is asking that big, looming question.

More than a week after I called for the Trump administration to provide a classified briefing to the Senate on AI risks, including cyber threats and sending our technology to China, we still haven’t heard anything – crickets on the most important issue of our day.

Maybe Trump isn’t worried because his family has hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars tied up in the AI economy. Trump doesn’t care about protecting the American people, just his personal bottom line. We’ve all learned that through the years and it disgusts most Americans. The president just refuses to get up off the bench and that is unacceptable.

Will Republicans continue to sit with their president on the sidelines?

This week, Democrats will continue to push Congress and the administration to act on AI.

Republicans have to join us in reining in an unchecked AI – before it’s too late. Please, please, Trump, wake up. The world's changing rapidly, and if we don't change and adapt to it and protect ourselves from the excesses of it, we're all going to be in big trouble.

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