Trump rejects AI slowdown, cites US-China race as priority globally

President Donald Trump has dismissed calls to slow artificial intelligence development, saying the United States must stay ahead of China in the AI race. Speaking in Ireland on Sunday before departing, Trump told reporters that even though there are "negative forces" raising AI risks, his main concern is keeping America ahead of China. "We’re leading China in AI," he said. "We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI wins."

Trump’s remarks respond to warnings from tech leaders such as Dario Amodei of Anthropic, Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX. Amodei has proposed a three‑step plan to "pace the frontier": giving third‑party evaluators access to AI firms for safety checks, having AI companies in different countries coordinate on common standards, and getting governments to collaborate on compliance verification. Altman and Musk have publicly backed the plan, while Senator Bernie Sanders urged Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to negotiate a treaty pausing advanced AI development and banning artificial superintelligence.

For Nigeria, the accelerating US‑China AI competition means faster global AI rollout, which could create new tech opportunities but also heighten risks if safety standards lag. Will Nigerian entrepreneurs and policymakers push for local AI talent development and safety frameworks, or rely on imported AI solutions?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/14/trump-rejects-slowing-ai-advancement-citing-us-china-competition/