Obama Backs Federal AI Safety Rules, Warns of 'Potential Catastrophe'

Former U.S. President Barack Obama on September 14 issued a statement supporting federal laws and regulations to govern artificial intelligence safety, warning that mishandling the technology could lead to a “potential catastrophe.”

Obama said AI policy “should be a central topic of public debate,” and that policymakers in Washington must “act proactively” to address serious safety concerns, anticipate the impact of AI on jobs and the next generation, and ensure the benefits of AI are widely shared. He criticized the laissez-faire approach to AI regulation advocated by President Donald Trump, without naming him directly, saying that “voluntary standards set by a few technology companies are not enough.”

In June 2026, Trump signed an executive order establishing a voluntary framework that allows AI developers to open frontier models to the government early for safety assessments. Obama remarked that “we cannot put AI back in the box,” but that society can collectively decide how it should be developed and used. The former president's rare public intervention is seen as an effort to position Democrats in favor of stronger AI safety measures ahead of the November 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election cycle.

According to a New York Times report on September 13, Obama recently urged Democratic leaders at a private fundraiser to prioritize AI in the coming years and suggested that 2028 presidential candidates should offer clear plans to address the safety and economic challenges posed by AI.