Senate Commerce Chairman Ted Cruz Says He Is Working on AI Risk Legislation

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, the Republican chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, said on Sept. 9 that he is working on legislation to address catastrophic risks from artificial intelligence. "We can't bury our head in the sand and pretend this technology isn't coming," Cruz said. "We need some safeguards, but the U.S. must lead."

His remarks came amid growing debate over AI safety. Two researchers from Anthropic recently resigned and publicly warned that leading AI companies are racing to build superintelligent systems that could destroy everyone by the end of the decade, prompting renewed calls for regulation in Washington.

Earlier in September, Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar proposed legislation to ban the development of superintelligent AI and create a new federal agency to oversee the technology. Sanders also plans to hold a private briefing in the third week of September on the dangers AI poses to humanity.

On the same day, Paul Christiano, a technical adviser at the National Institute of Standards and Technology's AI standards and innovation center, said he would join the board of a nonprofit that monitors OpenAI, and called for domestic and international coordination to reduce risks.

The Trump administration has favored a light-touch approach to AI regulation, prioritizing innovation and national competitiveness while avoiding what it sees as overregulation.