Barack Obama has warned Democrats that artificial intelligence could be dangerous if it is not properly managed, urging the party to make the technology a central political issue ahead of the 2028 presidential race.
Speaking at a private fundraising event in Manhattan, the former president called on Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, to prepare a clear framework for a public debate on artificial intelligence if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections.
Mr Obama and Mr Jeffries spoke for almost an hour before Democratic donors and lawmakers at Thursday’s gathering, organised by the House Democrats’ campaign arm. A partial transcript of Mr Obama’s remarks was provided by his office.
“Once you are speaker, I would strongly urge that the Democrats put together a framework for a very public conversation,” Mr Obama told Mr Jeffries, according to the transcript.
He said the technology was advancing rapidly in private hands and required urgent attention. “If we don’t get on top of it, I think can be dangerous,” Mr Obama said. “If we do get on top of it, I do think it’s beneficial.”
Mr Obama pointed to the potential for artificial intelligence to speed up drug development and help find routes towards a clean-energy future. He said he did not regard himself as either an “accelerationist” or a “doomer”, placing himself between those demanding rapid development and those warning of catastrophic consequences.
He also urged Democratic candidates for the presidency in 2028 to produce a detailed programme covering safety, children’s exposure to the technology and the economic impact of possible job losses.
“I would talk about this, and I would say: ‘Here’s our plan for safety. Here’s our plan for making sure our kids are not corrupted by this,’” he said.
Mr Obama added that politicians needed to consider the consequences if large numbers of people were unable to find full-time work because their jobs had become redundant. He compared the technology with other potentially dangerous innovations, saying that, unlike nuclear power, powerful artificial intelligence did not require “a bunch of highly enriched uranium” to create.
Democrats seek a policy on artificial intelligence
The remarks underline the challenge facing Democrats as they attempt to develop a unified position. Some members of the party have called for tougher regulation, while others have received millions of dollars in support from groups linked to major artificial intelligence companies.
Artificial intelligence is also becoming more prominent in the midterm elections, which have attracted substantial spending from technology companies and allied organisations. Anxiety over its risks has grown after a researcher at Anthropic resigned publicly, writing that people developing the technology believed it “could kill us all by the end of the decade”.
Dario Amodei, Anthropic’s chief executive, has since called for a global slowdown in artificial intelligence development. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Elon Musk also said they agreed with him in social media posts.
The White House has taken a strongly pro-development position. President Trump has said he has no concerns about the risks of artificial intelligence, but is worried about the United States falling behind rivals such as China. He has also argued that opponents of artificial intelligence data centres must prefer to be “backwards and poor”.
Mr Jeffries said Mr Obama was right to argue for decisive action. “Republicans have abdicated their responsibility to govern on behalf of the American people,” he said in a statement. “We will not repeat their error.”
Congress has so far taken little action on regulation, although members of both parties have proposed legislation. Democrats in the House have been circulating a letter calling for Speaker Mike Johnson to prevent members leaving for recess until safeguards are passed.
A bipartisan House task force on artificial intelligence produced a report in late 2024, but Republican leaders did not renew it in the following Congress. Democrats subsequently formed their own commission, which is preparing a policy framework expected to be published this autumn after final checks by Mr Jeffries.
Mr Obama has taken a close interest in artificial intelligence in recent years and has acted as a sounding board for industry leaders including Mr Altman and Mr Amodei. His comments suggest he now wants Democrats to turn the issue into a defining part of their political and governing agenda.
