‘We can’t stuff AI back in a box’ says former US president Barack Obama, confirming he’s ‘not a doomer’ while still calling for more government AI regulation
The great AI debate has heated up in recent weeks, amid calls from some industry figures for a slowdown in development—although others, like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, seem keen to dismiss many of those calls as simple doomsaying.
Now, former US president Barack Obama has posted his thoughts on X regarding the issue, and it’s something of a balanced take.
“I was encouraged this week to see the leaders of the frontier labs agree on the need for them to slow down the pace of AI development. Given the stakes, it’s a good and necessary first step,” said the former US commander in chief. “But 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.”
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While the former president said that it’s clear to him “the potential impact of this technology is not overhyped,” he also recognised that the industry is moving “at lightning speed—even faster than those who are engineering it can keep up with.”
“I’m not an AI accelerationist who believes it will lead to some techno-utopia, and I’m not a doomer who thinks it will inevitably lead to humanity’s destruction,” Obama continued. “But whether this technology results in amazing breakthroughs in medicine, energy and education or unleashes huge economic disruptions, greater inequality, and potential catastrophe will depend on the choices that we make right now—choices that should be made not just by the companies involved, but by all of us.”
I was encouraged this week to see the leaders of the frontier labs agree on the need for them to slow down the pace of AI development. Given the stakes, it’s a good and necessary first step. But I’m even more encouraged by the growing recognition that how this powerful new…September 14, 2026
The former president then highlighted Project Blueprint, an effort to link US Democratic politicians with industry leaders to create more robust standards for AI regulation. However, it seems Obama isn’t too keen on the idea of AI industry luminaries marking their own homework.
“At the end of the day, voluntary standards made by a handful of tech companies won’t be enough,” he continued. “We need government—and specifically our leaders in Washington—to get proactive in coming up with concrete proposals, laws and regulations that deal with serious safety concerns, anticipate AI’s impact on jobs and our kids, and make sure that AI’s benefits are widely spread.”
Obama’s comments follow on from those made earlier this year by Democratic senator Bernie Sanders, who called for a moratorium on data centers and the creation of more government AI regulation in a previous address. Sanders has since proposed the Artificial Superintelligence Ban Act, with potential prison sentences for those who violate its clauses.
Obama, however, seems to be inclined towards a more cautious approach. “Given what we know about technology, we can’t stuff AI back in a box,” the former US leader concludes. “But we can collectively determine how it’s developed and how it’s used, rather than sitting back and letting AI and its fallout happen to us.”
Given the public backlash surrounding AI data centers, and the many concerns around the rampant US development of the tech underneath an extremely pro-AI Republican president, it’s perhaps no surprise that public figures from the opposite side of the house are jumping on the moment.
That being said, after the reveals over the past few months regarding AI agents going rogue—and amid increasing concern that the artificially intelligent train we’re all strapped to has little in the way of brakes—it’s refreshing to see the issue of control making its way to the front of the debate. Yes we can? Perhaps not. But we can try, right?
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