Pritzker asks feds to regulate AI amid growing concern; Trump not convinced
(The Center Square) – Following the resignation of an artificial intelligence safety researcher and whistleblower from a leading American AI company who claimed AI development is putting human lives at risk, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has called for increased oversight and regulation of the industry.
Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher, resigned from his job at Anthropic, which makes the chatbot Claude, last week citing concerns that the technology is rapidly developing, creating the potential to end civilization in a decade.
Following Coxon’s whistleblowing and call for a coordinated approach by the industry, Pritzker released a list of requests of the federal government.
The governor suggests AI companies and “big tech” should be disallowed from lobbying against regulations, have congressional hearings on AI safety and for the federal government to implement a coordinated plan to safely continue forward.
Pritzker’s call for intervention comes as President Donald Trump said he’s not as worried about the warnings, but is focused on continuing to lead China in having the best research.
“We’re leading China in AI. We’re the most sophisticated country in the world. And frankly, I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI wins.,” Trump said. “I think you have a lot of negative voices that are bringing it up that shouldn’t be bringing it up. And they’re bringing up things that won’t happen.”
Pritzker recently signed The Artificial Intelligence Safety Measures Act, requiring AI companies to conduct and share findings of annual third-party audits and disclose safety incidents to the state.
“We must protect our people from the dangers of AI while still harnessing the unique potential of the technology. And we’re doing it in Illinois with a bipartisan, first and most protective in the nation, law,” Pritzker said at the signing
The governor and lawmakers were clear that they don’t want to stifle innovation, and they see clear uses for AI.
“It will have a profound impact on our work, on our health, and on our democracy. And much much more to be honest with you. The decisions we make today will decide whether this tool is used for good or for ill,” Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said.
While Pritzker said he wants to see an end to lobbying efforts against safety regulation, the Illinois law had support from and was crafted alongside major AI companies, including Anthropic and OpenAI.
Ann O’Leary, OpenAI’s vice president of global policy said in a statement as the law was being considered in Springfield that her company supported the law.
“We believe the U.S. should ultimately have national standards for frontier AI safety, but in the absence of federal action, state efforts like this one in Illinois – alongside legislation already in place in California and New York – are helping to create a de facto nationwide approach,” O’Leary wrote.
A release from Pritzker’s office highlighted the measure as the strictest AI regulatory framework, and said Illinois, California and others had effectively set the national standards already.
Leaders in the Congress are at odds regarding new regulations. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, has urged caution to new laws over concerns they could restrict American companies and cause them to fall behind Chinese research.
Meanwhile in the Senate, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, called on the Trump administration to hold a briefing with the Senate to explain what measures are already in place.
Sunny
