White House split on AI risks as Trump pushes rapid growth

President Donald Trump dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could cause mass extinction as a "hoax," prioritizing rapid AI growth to prevent an economic crash and recession, while warning that opponents of data centres risk being "backwards and poor." Trump's stance is backed by Silicon Valley figures like David Sacks, who weakened a May executive order on safety reviews, and Mark Zuckerberg and Jensen Huang, who argue the bigger risk is falling behind Chinese competitors. Inside the White House, however, officials are more cautious, concerned that a summer of AI surprises has raised risks once dismissed as "doomer" speculation, despite the strategic challenge from China.