Former President Barack Obama has urged Democrats to make artificial intelligence a central policy priority, saying the party needs a clear and public strategy to address both its economic effects and safety concerns.
Speaking at a Democratic fundraising event, where he was interviewed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Obama said lawmakers should build a framework that opens the door to broad public discussion once they regain control of the House.
He described AI as a technology advancing rapidly in private hands, warning that it could become risky without strong oversight. At the same time, he emphasized its potential to speed up drug discovery and support breakthroughs in medicine.
Jeffries echoed that view, saying decisive action on AI is necessary. Obama has also reportedly been speaking with industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, as interest grows in shared safety standards and independent evaluation systems.
Amodei recently outlined an approach focused on pacing frontier AI development through outside safety reviewers and common standards across companies. Altman later signaled support for independent evaluators with broad access, reflecting a wider shift toward coordinated responsibility in the sector.
The discussion highlights how AI is moving from a technical breakthrough to a major public policy issue. Its next chapter may shape how innovation and safety evolve together in the years ahead.
