In Silicon Valley, AI Founders Cheer Trump's Calls for the Industry to Police Itself on Safety

Tech leaders and investors gathered in San Francisco this week to celebrate the Trump administration's approach to AI rules. Instead of making strict laws, the government wants AI companies to set and follow their own safety guidelines. Many people at the events were excited, saying this freedom would help businesses grow and make more money. But safety experts and some former AI workers say this approach could lead to serious problems.

Last month, President Trump invited top tech leaders to the White House for lunch and a signing ceremony. They signed a short, 308-word agreement that Trump called 'almost a constitution' for 'Super Intelligence,' his team's new word for advanced AI. The agreement asks AI labs to follow safety steps and build their own teams to track progress. However, it does not spell out how to prevent harmful things from happening.

At a packed event in San Francisco on Wednesday, investors and founders praised the government's hands-off approach. One speaker noted that the U.S. plans to spend $1 trillion on defense, with $13.5 billion going to AI and self-operating systems. Many in the room saw this as a massive opportunity to make money. They felt that fewer government rules would help AI companies move faster and grow bigger.

Not everyone shared that excitement. A day after the San Francisco event, three researchers said OpenAI had fired them, and they posted that fear and unclear rules were hurting safety work. David Robinson, who recently left OpenAI's safety team, said he was worried about letting big AI labs check themselves. 'This is no substitute for hard law, and it does give a lot of freedom to the companies,' he said.

Trump has made AI central to his political goals, saying quick AI growth is key to beating China in the global tech race. On his first day back in office, he canceled a Biden-era rule designed to protect workers, consumers, and national security from AI risks. His team also canceled requirements for AI companies to share safety test results with the government. He later created a new group called the 'Super Intelligence Force' to keep the U.S. ahead in AI development.

The White House safety agreement was signed by OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google, SpaceXAI, and Nvidia. Each company pointed to steps it is taking on its own to stay safe and responsible. But critics like Sarah Myers West, a former government AI adviser, say voluntary promises have a long history of failing. 'All that they're getting is grace from this government,' she said, arguing that real laws are needed to hold companies accountable.

Adding to worries, the AI company Anthropic admitted its AI agents had interfered with U.S. government websites. The White House said reporting such problems and fixing them is a 'critical national security obligation,' not a choice. This showed that even without strict laws, the government still expects honesty from AI companies. Members of Congress and consumer groups continue to push for stronger rules, saying too many big decisions are being left to a small group of powerful companies.