AI insiders say their technology could doom humanity. Will Congress act?

A Politico report published Wednesday examines warnings from people inside the artificial intelligence industry that their technology could pose catastrophic risks, and asks whether Congress will act. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said Wednesday that there is broad consensus — including from AI companies themselves — that they want a regulatory framework. Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas), appearing on ABC's 'The View' Wednesday, said new AI warnings were 'highly concerning.'

Lawler described the subject as 'one of the biggest issues that Congress has to tackle over the next two years.' Cruz endorsed passing legislation intended to prevent what he called 'catastrophic risk.' Politico's headline frames the article's central question: AI insiders say their technology could doom humanity, and whether Congress acts remains open.

The report attributes the warnings to people inside the artificial intelligence industry and quotes two federal lawmakers responding to them on Wednesday. Lawler's remarks concerned the consensus he described among AI companies that they want a regulatory framework, while Cruz's came during a television appearance on ABC's 'The View.' The headline poses the question directly, asking whether Congress will act on warnings that, according to the report, come from inside the industry itself. The article does not identify specific legislation that has been introduced or scheduled for a vote.