Mike Johnson, the US House Speaker, recently rejected proposals to pause artificial intelligence development, asserting that such measures would give China an advantage over the United States with serious national security implications. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Johnson argued against government regulation and suggested self-regulation by AI companies instead. This stance comes amidst growing bipartisan calls for more control over AI due to concerns about job displacement, energy costs, and public safety.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 12106 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-15
US House Speaker Mike Johnson has rejected calls to pause artificial intelligence development, arguing that doing so could give China an advantage over the United States.
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doing → reject → States
“We cannot have a moratorium on the development of AI,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.
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Johnson → have → Tuesday
“Because then we will lose our edge to China, and that has serious national security implications for every American family.”
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that → lose → family
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Johnson also argued that AI companies should largely be left to police themselves.
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companies → dismiss → CEO
“They can self-regulate.
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They → regulate → ?
They don’t need the government to tell them to slow it down.
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government → need → it
If they want to slow it down, they should,” he said.
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he → want → it
His comments come as calls to rein in AI are growing across the political spectrum amid concerns about what the technology could mean for jobs, energy costs and public safety.
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technology → come → jobs
Unlikely allies call for AI limits
Unlikely allies US Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, and Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump and prominent voice on the US right, both called for restrictions on AI on Tuesday, as they appeared at the same event in Washington.
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they → call → Washington
Sanders warned of what he called the “growing threat” of AI and said the industry should face binding safety rules.
“AI has the potential to eliminate tens of millions of jobs, wiping out entire professions and making it harder for our young people to enter the workforce,” he said.
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he → warn → workforce
He criticised tech executives, including Elon Musk, for concentrating control over the technology.
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He → criticise → technology
“As many scientists believe could happen, this technology will escape human control with potentially catastrophic consequences,” Sanders said.
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Sanders → believe → consequences
He cited recent research in which scientists used AI to design new viruses, a breakthrough that has raised concerns about potential biosecurity risks, adding that “in the wrong hands, this could lead to new bioweapons and a potential global pandemic that could lead to the deaths of tens of millions of people”.
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that → cite → people
Sanders also called on Trump to use his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate a treaty to pause AI development.
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Sanders → call → development
Bannon called AI “the defining issue of our time” and said the US needed to slow its development to understand the risks, praising Sanders’ description of the risks and arguing the issue needed to transcend partisan politics.
“I don’t think you could find any two harder partisans than Bernie Sanders on the left and Steve Bannon on the right,” he said.
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he → call → right
Trump calls AI fears a ‘hoax’
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Trump → call → fears
On Monday, Trump downplayed concerns raised by industry leaders about the potential misuse of AI, saying the US already has safeguards in place.
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US → downplay → place
In a series of posts, he dismissed fears that AI could pose an existential threat as a “hoax” and argued that existing government powers were enough to keep companies in check.
“The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT,” Trump wrote, adding: “WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS!”
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WHOEVER → dismiss → AI
He also accused critics of AI and data centres of engaging in a “sick conspiracy”, arguing that efforts to slow the industry would ultimately benefit China.
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efforts → accuse → China
Speaker Johnson, who echoed Trump’s concerns about falling behind China on Tuesday, did leave some room for guardrails, saying they would have to be put in place in a balanced and thoughtful way.
“I think you need independent auditors.
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you → echo → auditors
I think you need transparency from the people who are developing this,” he said.
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he → think → this
Johnson also said he spoke to Trump on Monday night and that executives from major AI companies would be summoned to the White House for a meeting within the next week.
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executives → say → week
The Aporia
