OpenAI CEO calls for AI pacing as Trump insists he's not downplaying risk

Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, joined others in the artificial intelligence industry in saying that his company would welcome a slower development pace for AI to ensure that the technology's capabilities don't "get ahead of alignment and monitoring," as President Donald Trump said there would be "more good than bad" from the technology.

The president, who spoke with reporters on Sunday as he traveled back to Washington from Ireland, said he wouldn't downplay concerns about AI advancements. He also sought to position the AI race as a competition between the United States and other countries -- including China.

"I've said it from the beginning," Trump said. "Whoever wins AI -- and we're leading by a lot. Whoever wins AI wins."

In a social media post on Monday, Trump reiterated the message, saying "The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!"

He added that there is a "SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China,” and that the U.S. is "leading China" as well as other countries in the technology.

"Don’t kill the Golden Goose!" Trump wrote in another Monday social media post.