Obama calls for Democrats to prioritize AI safeguards and economic impact planning

Former President Barack Obama urged Democrats to treat artificial intelligence as a "central agenda" item and to "have a very clear plan" to address its economic and safety implications, according to reporting by The New York Times. Obama made the comments during a Democratic fundraising event where he was interviewed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Obama suggested that once Democrats regain the House majority, they should "put together a framework for a very public conversation" about AI governance. He emphasized the rapid pace of AI development in private hands and warned that without proactive oversight, the technology could pose dangers, while also acknowledging potential benefits such as accelerating drug development.

In a statement, Jeffries said Obama "is correct that decisive action must be taken on artificial intelligence" and criticized Republicans for "abdicating their responsibility to govern on behalf of the American people."

Obama also offered himself as a resource to AI executives and has spoken with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the report states. His comments come amid heightened concerns about AI safety, including a recent resignation from an Anthropic researcher who warned about risks from "self-improving superintelligence."