Thompson Rejects Altman’s AI Risk Trade-off Amid Congressional Gridlock
Rep. G.T. Thompson explicitly rejected OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s assertion that society must accept negative AI outcomes to gain its benefits. Thompson, chair of the House Agriculture Committee, stated he is 'never willing to accept bad results,' advocating for guardrails based on a 'do no harm' principle. This stance contrasts with Altman’s view that the benefits of AI outweigh risks like hacks and scams, a position that drew criticism from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and AI safety experts. The debate occurs as Congress remains divided on federal AI regulation, with President Trump favoring self-policing over strict oversight.