Trump, Johnson to Meet Tech CEOs on AI Sept. 29
▼ Summary
– President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are scheduled to meet with tech executives on September 29 to discuss artificial intelligence.
– Speaker Johnson has long sought this summit to address AI safety responsibilities, following weeks of lobbying for a congressional session focused on the issue.
– The meeting comes after major AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic urged slower development, which Trump dismissed as a hoax during his UN address.
– Trump proposed establishing an AI Force and appointing a new AI czar while opposing global control schemes for the technology.
– House Democrats pressured Johnson to cancel recess for AI safeguard votes, but Congress remains in recess until after the November midterm elections.
President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are set to convene with tech chief executives on September 29 to address the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Axios first reported the plans on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the arrangements, while Reuters confirmed the date independently. ABC News added that multiple individuals close to the logistics have also validated the upcoming summit.
Despite the confirmed timing, specific details regarding participating firms or the discussion agenda remain undisclosed. No news outlet has identified the companies involved, and independent verification of these reports is currently unavailable. The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries from ABC News regarding the meeting.
Speaker Johnson has been advocating for this type of high-level gathering for several weeks. In mid-September, he indicated he would recall the House only if there was a concrete solution ready for a vote. Prior to that stance, he expressed interest in a broader summit involving the president, congressional leaders, and heads of major AI laboratories.
The focus of the dialogue will likely center on regulatory frameworks and safety protocols. “There’ll be a deliberate discussion about the responsibility of the companies to maintain safety,” Johnson told reporters last week, ABC News reported. This emphasis comes amid growing calls from industry leaders, including those at OpenAI and Anthropic, to decelerate the pace of AI development earlier this month.
Trump has consistently pushed back against such cautionary measures. He dismissed recent warnings as a hoax in a social media post and reiterated his opposition to international control mechanisms during his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. According to Reuters, Trump told world leaders he rejects any global scheme to regulate the technology. Additionally, he announced plans last week to establish an AI Force and appoint a new AI czar.
Political pressure on Congress to act has intensified, particularly from House Democrats who urged Johnson to cancel the current recess to hold votes on AI safeguards. However, the House has adjourned and will remain out of Washington until after the midterm elections in November. Further specifics about the attendee list and meeting structure were not immediately available.
(Source: The Next Web)
