US AI leaders urge restraint as Trump team prioritises China competition

US technology leaders are pressing for greater restraint and safety oversight in artificial intelligence development, setting up a clash with the Trump administration’s priority of preserving America’s lead over China.

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has called for Washington to help competing AI companies co-ordinate on safety standards without breaching antitrust law. His proposal includes government participation in industry discussions or an antitrust waiver, as well as support for international co-ordination involving China.

The proposal received backing from OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Elon Musk, while Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella also called for development to be paced. Their support does not amount to a binding industry-wide slowdown.

Altman separately endorsed independent third-party evaluators with employee-level access to AI companies, allowing them to assess safety practices and products and report incidents. He said the cost of pacing development would be justified and that competitive pressure should not excuse recklessness.

The Trump administration has pushed responsibility for any slowdown back on the companies. David Sacks, co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, said firms concerned about unreleased models could act voluntarily, while rejecting calls for antitrust protections. He also questioned whether China would join global AI co-ordination.

President Donald Trump has said the US is leading China in AI and that he wants to keep it that way, arguing that whoever wins the technology will prevail. House Speaker Mike Johnson has likewise warned that rushed congressional regulation could cost the US its lead, while calling for a balanced approach. No regulation, antitrust waiver or international agreement has been established.