AI skeptics gather in Washington amid regulatory debate as tech leaders weigh next steps

Washington remains divided over how to manage AI's growing risks, even as major AI companies explore industry-led safety standards alongside calls for stronger government oversight.

Democratic lawmakers Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar along with conservative voices such as Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and former White House strategist Steve Bannon, were among those scheduled to appear at a Marriott ballroom in Washington on Tuesday to raise awareness about the potential existential threats posed by artificial intelligence as per CNBC.

The event highlighted the growing divide in Washington over how the US should respond to the risks posed by increasingly powerful AI systems. While some lawmakers have called for tighter government oversight and even a pause in advanced AI development, others have argued that the technology should be allowed to progress while companies take greater responsibility for managing its risks.

Previously, House Speaker Mike Johnson has been vocal about the responsibility of technology companies, rather than Congress, to regulate themselves. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas,, meanwhile, invoked the threat posed by China in an interview with Politico, saying that if the technology does turn lethal, he would “rather they be American killer robots and not Chinese killer robots.”

The different narratives emerging around how to manage AI's growing risks suggest that there is still little consensus in Washington. Leading the charge Sanders had previously introduced a legislation this month that aims to ban AI superintelligence and temporarily pause advanced AI development.

Lori Trahan, D-Mass., has also emerged as one of the more vocal advocates for AI regulation on Capitol Hill in recent months. In June, she co-led bipartisan legislation aimed at creating a federal framework for overseeing the technology. She also spoke at Tuesday’s event.

Trahan, who was also present at the Future of Life event, rejected Mike Johnson’s position. She said, “If we lose grip on this technology, we don’t lose it as Democrats or Republicans, as Americans or Chinese. We lose it as human beings, all of us together.”

While political parties remain locked in a broader tussle over how AI should be regulated, OpenAI has begun coordinating with Anthropic and Google on ways the companies can work together to address AI safety concerns, a spokesperson confirmed to CNBC on Tuesday.

The three companies are fierce competitors, but they have come together under growing pressure to address mounting AI safety and security concerns in recent weeks. On Saturday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged AI companies to slow the pace at which they improve their most advanced models, a position that has also received support from Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, had previously published a blog post outlining the company’s support for industry-led standards. He said OpenAI is working to advance such standards and that companies would work with others to build a voluntary effort, with or without government support.

He said “Any industry-led standards would complement, not replace, mandatory federal safeguards and democratic oversight,” Lehane said. “But we have entered a different phase of AI capabilities, and everything should be on the table including considering what can be built voluntarily outside government as an immediate step.”