Trump Dismisses AI Extinction Fears and Says U.S. Must Win the AI Race

President Trump is dismissing warnings that advanced AI could eventually pose an extinction-level threat to humanity.
Instead, Trump says his main concern is ensuring the U.S. maintains its lead in the global AI race.
“I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” Trump said.
He also argued that the U.S. currently leads China in AI development by roughly a year.
“We are leading China right now by a pretty good period. I would say a year, which is, you know, considered a lot.”
The comments highlight a major policy divide around AI.
While some researchers are calling for slower development and stronger safety controls, the Trump administration appears more focused on maintaining U.S. technological leadership and preventing China from closing the gap.
For markets, that stance could support continued investment in semiconductors, data centers, power infrastructure and other parts of the U.S. AI ecosystem.