Exclusive / House Democrat pushes global effort on AI rules - Semafor

House Democrats are circulating a letter imploring President Donald Trump to lead an international effort to set global AI rules, according to a copy shared with Semafor.

“We strongly urge your administration to lead a coordinated international effort to establish a global framework to guide the development of this technology and a shared vision for AI end-use — engaging our strongest allies, such as the European Union, as well as formidable global competitors, particularly the People’s Republic of China,” Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., writes in the draft of the letter to be sent later this week.

It’s unclear which other lawmakers will sign on.

The push precedes President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which will touch on AI.

Panic over AI’s capabilities is also rising among lawmakers and the American public.

“We must lead with the creation of global rules of the road to prevent the proliferation of uncontrollable highly capable frontier AI,” the letter reads, comparing the push to past US-led efforts on nuclear power and aviation.

The US has been very clear about its desire to lead China in AI development, and it’s unlikely that the Trump administration would play any role in international policy decisions about AI that would involve ceding competitive ground. On Sunday, Trump rejected calls by tech leaders for a slowdown in AI development, citing the need for the US to outcompete China.

The White House has often opted out of global discussions about AI; last year, White House science adviser Michael Kratsios said at the UN: “We totally reject all efforts by international bodies to assert centralized control and global governance of AI.”

It’s still possible the rapid pace of AI development will shift the administration’s approach. Trump’s talks with Xi on AI, and the upcoming UN General Assembly, will present a chance to test whether his administration has altered course at all.