Donald Trump and Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, plan to gather with leading technology executives for talks on artificial intelligence on Tuesday, 29 September, Axios reported after learning of the plans on Thursday. Reuters confirmed the date through its own source, and ABC News cited multiple individuals with knowledge of the gathering. The identities of participating companies and the meeting's agenda remain undisclosed, and the reports have not been independently confirmed.
The White House offered no immediate comment when ABC News inquired about the event. Johnson has been pushing for such a meeting for several weeks. In mid-September, he indicated he would only bring the House back into session if lawmakers had something concrete to vote on. Earlier still, he had called for a summit bringing together the president, congressional leadership, and heads of major AI research facilities.
There'll be a deliberate discussion about the responsibility of the companies to maintain safety
Mike Johnson, speaking to reporters last week, as reported by ABC News
The gathering comes in response to recent appeals from executives at prominent AI firms, including OpenAI and Anthropic, urging a deceleration in development efforts. Trump has dismissed these concerns, characterizing them as false claims in a post on social media. He reiterated this position while speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, stating his opposition to any international framework for regulating the technology, according to Reuters. Additionally, last week he announced plans to establish an AI Force and hire a dedicated AI czar.
Congressional pressure to pass legislation has intensified. Democratic members of the House called on Johnson to end the recess and schedule votes on AI safety measures, but the chamber remains out of session until after November's midterm elections. Complete information regarding participants and other specifics of the meeting has not yet been released.
Source: The Next Web
