Obama backs slower AI development, urges public debate as Trump rejects ‘guardrails’

The debate now pits industry calls for additional oversight against the Trump administration's emphasis on maintaining US leadership and accelerating AI and data-centre development.

Former US President Barack Obama has called for a slower pace of artificial intelligence development and greater public involvement in decisions over how the technology should evolve, as a growing divide emerges between AI industry leaders and the Trump administration over regulation and safeguards.

Obama said on social media platform X that he was encouraged by leaders of major “frontier” AI companies recognising the need to slow development. He described the move as “a good and necessary first step” but said the broader question of how AI develops should become a central part of public debate.

“I’m even more encouraged by the growing recognition that how this powerful new technology develops should be at the center of our public debate,” Obama wrote.

Obama warns of AI’s potential impact

Obama said he had been following AI developments for more than a decade and argued that the technology's potential impact should not be underestimated.

He said AI could produce major advances in areas such as medicine, energy and education, but could also cause significant economic disruption, increase inequality and create risks of catastrophe.

Obama said he was neither an “AI accelerationist” who believes the technology will produce a technological utopia nor a “doomer” who believes it will inevitably destroy humanity.

Instead, he argued that the outcome would depend on decisions being made now by governments, companies and the public.

AI leaders push for independent oversight

Obama's comments come amid growing debate within the AI industry over whether companies are developing increasingly powerful systems too quickly and whether stronger safeguards are needed.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also supported calls for a slower pace of AI development.