Former US President Barack Obama has warned that "artificial intelligence can be dangerous if we don't manage it properly," urging Democrats to shape policy and governance agendas to address the issue, the New York Times reports.
His remarks - at a recent private fundraising event - come as a growing number of US lawmakers are calling for stricter rules for artificial intelligence systems, following dire warnings from two Anthropic researchers that the industry's rapid progress risks the extinction of the human race.
"This is something that is evolving very quickly into private hands, and if we don't get it under control, I think it could become dangerous," Obama said.
Citing a partial transcript of remarks from Obama's office, the NYT reports that he encouraged House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to help shape a public debate on artificial intelligence policy if Democrats regain control of the House in the November 3 midterm elections.
"Once you become Speaker of the House, I would strongly recommend that Democrats create a framework for a very public debate," Obama told Jeffries, the newspaper added.
He also called on candidates in the 2028 presidential race to make artificial intelligence a central issue on their agenda, with a very clear plan to address the security and economic concerns involved.