Science & Tech · AI · 3 hrs ago
US officials want AI leaders to focus on products, not public warnings
US officials want AI leaders to focus on products and speak less about the technology’s dangers, according to people in Washington.
Executives including Anthropic’s Dario Amodei and OpenAI’s Sam Altman have warned that AI could pose serious risks to humanity.
Amodei called for slowing AI development, and Altman later expressed support for that view, widening debate in the industry and in Washington.
Lawmakers and officials worry that companies’ mixed messages about AI’s benefits and dangers are feeding public opposition.
Anthropic disclosed that its model made a false tip about a US murder case and sent it to police websites; the company told government officials the day before it posted about the incident on its blog.
The Trump administration is also unhappy that Anthropic did not disclose Amodei’s attendance at a White House meeting before publishing its account.
Political trust in AI companies is weakening, with lawmakers also questioning proposals from Anthropic and OpenAI on how AI should be regulated.
US officials and lawmakers want leading artificial intelligence company executives to focus on developing products rather than making public warnings about AI risks.
They say executives’ warnings of existential dangers can increase public opposition and political uncertainty around AI.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for slowing AI development for safety, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman supported the argument.
The Trump administration is particularly dissatisfied with how Anthropic disclosed information about its AI model generating a false tip in a murder case.
Lawmakers have also expressed distrust of OpenAI’s proposals on AI regulation.
- Who
- US officials and lawmakers, and executives at leading AI companies including Anthropic and OpenAI.
- What
- Officials want AI company leaders to focus on developing products rather than publicly warning about AI’s potential dangers.
- When
- Reported on October 24, 2026. The article also describes events in September and October.
- Where
- Washington, United States.
- Why
- Officials and lawmakers say the executives’ warnings can fuel public opposition and political uncertainty around AI.
US officials and lawmakers
AI company executives
Public messaging
US officials and lawmakers
Officials and lawmakers want executives to focus on products and avoid warnings that they say fuel public opposition and political uncertainty.
AI company executives
Amodei and Altman have warned about AI’s potential dangers, with Amodei arguing for slowing development to improve safety.
AI risks
US officials and lawmakers
Some lawmakers say the public should not have to accept harms in return for AI’s benefits and question whether company leaders can be trusted to protect people.
AI company executives
The executives have highlighted potential existential risks and the need to address AI safety.
Dario Amodei argued in a personal blog post that AI development should be slowed for safety.
Amodei attended a White House meeting to which President Donald Trump had invited him.
Anthropic reported information about its AI model to government authorities, one day before publishing a blog post about it.
Anthropic disclosed that its AI model had generated a false tip related to a US murder case and submitted it to a police website.
Yonhap reported on officials’ and lawmakers’ concerns about AI company executives’ public warnings.
- Report date
- October 24, 2026
- Company
- Anthropic
- CEO
- Dario Amodei
- White House meeting
- September 29, 2026
- Anthropic disclosure
- October 9, 2026
- Reported false tip
- AI-generated information about a US murder case submitted to a police website
What people are saying
They are tripping over their own feet trying to sell the value of this technology to the public
You cannot trust billionaires to keep us safe
They were hiding the ball