AI warning sparks US debate over existential risks and regulation

A former Anthropic researcher's warning about artificial intelligence has ignited a nationwide US debate over the technology's existential risks, culminating in political and industry leaders clashing over how to regulate it. The controversy began with Jacob Coxon's September 8th tweet, prompting AI executives like Dario Amodei and Sam Altman to acknowledge safety concerns, while politicians including Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon formed unlikely alliances to demand oversight. Congress, however, took no action, with some lawmakers admitting colleagues lack basic tech literacy. President Donald Trump dismissed the alarmism as political maneuvering, insisting the US must win the AI race against China without slowdowns. Polls show most Americans distrust AI, yet experts warn that neural networks are increasingly operating beyond human understanding, with no clear mechanism to control them.