Trump says AI safety fears a 'hoax' as he rejects calls for greater safeguards
Source: BBC World ↗ (cross-verified by 4 outlets — full list below)
U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about artificial‑intelligence safety as a “hoax,” labeling the warnings as a “Global Warming Scam” pushed by the “Radical Left Dumocrats.” In a series of social‑media posts, Trump argued that the only “guardrails” needed for AI are a “strong and smart” president, and he likened the AI safety debate to the “RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA HOAX.” His comments came after Anthropic co‑founder Jack Clark told the BBC that a mandatory, third‑party‑checked “kill switch” might eventually be required to shut down dangerous AI systems, a suggestion that has been echoed by executives at other leading AI firms. The president’s remarks were made amid a broader market reaction, with tech stocks falling as investors weighed the potential impact of tighter regulation on the multibillion‑dollar AI industry.
The push for stronger safeguards has gained momentum following a wave of warnings from AI insiders. Clark noted that most labs, including Anthropic, already have internal mechanisms to pull the plug on risky models, but he argued that lawmakers may need to enforce a universal standard. Anthropic’s chief executive Dario Amodei, along with OpenAI’s Sam Altman and xAI’s Elon Musk, have called for a slowdown in development and independent monitoring, while a former Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, warned that AI could pose an existential threat. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds cautioned against complacency but warned against hyperbole, emphasizing AI’s potential benefits for public services and the economy. Meanwhile, Chinese state media and Fudan University professor Xin Qiang suggested that U.S. anxiety over China’s rapid AI progress may be distorting policy priorities, fearing that stricter U.S. regulation could allow China to close the gap.
The debate is now spilling into the political arena, with former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and progressive Senator Bernie Sanders slated to speak at the “Pro‑Human Assembly” in Washington, an event aimed at forging a human‑centric AI vision. The heightened scrutiny has already affected markets and prompted Microsoft’s AI chief Mustafa Suleyman to release new guidance on “humanist AI.” As calls for congressional action intensify, the industry faces a crossroads between accelerating commercial advantage and addressing mounting safety concerns that some experts estimate could pose a more than 10 % chance of human extinction within a decade.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Growth projections drawn up in distant capitals could need a rethink.
- ▶Distant markets sometimes move on rumour before the facts even settle.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶The knock-on for local trade is usually gradual rather than sudden.
- ▶Everyday costs in your town may drift as the wider economy reacts.
🏦Rates & Banksmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Your monthly repayments are far more likely to hold steady than to spike.
- ▶Base rate decisions are usually made on data trends, not single headlines.
❤️Healthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Taking a break from the headlines can do more good than scrolling on.
- ▶Being kind to yourself matters just as much as staying informed.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶It's a reasonable moment to check your investments are still on track.
- ▶Your household's overall financial health matters more than any one day's numbers.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶Estate agents often say the market takes weeks to catch up with news.
- ▶Mortgage shoppers may find deals shift only slightly in the short term.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.