Frances Haugen: AI firms must honor White House safety pledge

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen said Friday that AI companies must honor the spirit of their White House self-regulation agreement, questioning whether they will exploit loopholes. She spoke days after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and others signed the document. Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, leaked internal documents in 2021 that became "The Facebook Files," revealing the company knew of negative impacts on teens' mental health. She noted AI firms have been more proactive on safety but praised Anthropic's push for independent auditors. Haugen's story is featured in the upcoming Aaron Sorkin film "The Social Reckoning," releasing Oct. 9, and her book "The Power of One" details her whistleblowing role. She warned that even well-intentioned companies may cut corners without external oversight.