Donald Trump, Mike Johnson and other technology executives are set to meet in Washington on September 29 as the US grapples with how to govern rapidly advancing AI. The talks come days after AI leaders warned the UN about potential risks, while Trump rejected calls for international oversight.
US President Donald Trump is due to meet House Speaker Mike Johnson and a group of technology executives on September 29 for discussions on artificial intelligence, reports Axios.
The gathering comes at a moment when US is wrestling with competing priorities around AI. Policymakers face pressure to address potential risks from increasingly capable systems, while the Trump administration has repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining the US lead over China in the technology.
The identities of all the executives expected to attend, along with a detailed agenda, have not been disclosed. It is therefore unclear whether the meeting will focus primarily on regulation, industry safeguards, US competitiveness or a combination of those issues.
The timing is notable. Just days before the planned meeting, senior figures from the AI industry appeared before the UN Security Council and urged governments to work together over the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei told the council that, if poorly managed, AI could pose a risk to humanity. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Hugging Face co-founder Clement Delangue were also among the technology leaders taking part.
Trump resists calls for new AI rules
Trump has taken a different approach to proposals for stronger AI-specific regulation. His administration has argued that excessive restrictions could undermine US technological development and its position in the global competition with China.
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Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump criticised proposals for international oversight of AI, describing them as a “globalist scheme” to control the technology. He also said AI was an extraordinary development while indicating that the US would proceed cautiously.
The president has previously argued against adding broad new regulatory barriers for AI companies. His position has put him at odds with some technology leaders who have publicly raised concerns about the speed of AI development and called for additional safeguards.
Johnson has struck a somewhat different tone while also warning against measures that could weaken America’s position. Earlier this month, he said Congress should avoid imposing an emergency moratorium but argued that safeguards were necessary to ensure AI does not “run away” while the US competes with China.
US and China take different paths
The September 29 meeting also comes as Chinese President Xi interacts with Trump over AI.
China has introduced rules covering areas including AI algorithms and training data, alongside requirements for certain AI-generated content to be identified as such. The US, meanwhile, has so far relied more heavily on existing laws and executive action, with the Trump administration resisting a broad federal AI regulatory framework.
That difference has added a geopolitical dimension to the debate. Both countries are seeking to advance AI capabilities, while governments elsewhere are considering how to manage potential security, economic and social risks.
The upcoming meeting could therefore bring industry leaders directly into a debate that has so far produced competing arguments over innovation, safety and government oversight. For now, however, there is no indication that the discussions will result in a specific regulatory proposal or agreement.