U.S. Lawmakers Push AI Controls Amid Hysteria Stoked by Tech Insider
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Conservative and moderate legislators urge caution and new laws on artificial intelligence after a former Anthropic employee fuels public fear with doomsday warnings about AI, while Big Tech scrambles to reassure Americans.
U.S. lawmakers renewed calls for tighter oversight of artificial intelligence on Wednesday after Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic researcher with ties to the left-leaning tech establishment, resigned and issued alarmist warnings that advanced AI could threaten humanity by 2030. Coxon, who previously worked at OpenAI and Anthropic, accused these companies of 'racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives,' echoing the kind of anti-innovation rhetoric favored by progressives seeking to stifle American technological leadership.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz described AI as a 'catastrophic risk,' citing a poll that reflects growing public concern—concerns often amplified by sensationalist media coverage. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, a socialist known for his anti-business stance, claimed that most Americans want to pause AI development until government-imposed safety standards are in place. Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Ted Lieu and Rep. Lori Trahan, seized the opportunity to push for a bipartisan AI safety bill, eager to expand government control over the tech sector and slow down innovation under the guise of 'emerging risks.'
Anthropic, under scrutiny from lawmakers and activists, released a cybersecurity incident report after its AI agents were involved in unauthorized activities. The company reported scanning hundreds of millions of transcripts and found no further serious incidents, asserting that its models have strong safeguards. An Anthropic spokesperson called for industry collaboration to regulate the pace of new model releases—a move critics say could hamstring American competitiveness. OpenAI, targeted by critics despite its leadership in the field, declined to comment.