Trump tells AI giants to ‘self-police’: What does ‘morally binding’ White House accord mean?

Donald Trump has backed an AI “self-policing” accord with leading tech companies, rejecting calls for regulatory guardrails. The White House framework calls for internal controls, independent assessments and board oversight, while Trump describes it as “morally binding” but not legally enforceable.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that leading artificial intelligence companies had agreed to a framework to “self-police” the development of AI, as his administration continues to oppose regulatory curbs on the rapidly expanding technology, AP reported.

Trump made the remarks after meeting top AI executives at the White House, where he reiterated his support for the industry and argued that the US should not slow down AI development.

Why did Donald Trump back AI growth and reject guardrails?

Trump said his administration would not seek to restrict AI development or support calls for additional “guardrails” on the industry.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

The accord, known as the 'White House Accord on Super Intelligence', commits AI companies to self-regulate by developing their technologies safely and transparently, ensuring proper monitoring and controls.

Trump believes that additional regulations could stifle AI growth, which he sees as a crucial technological advancement that could surpass the impact of the Industrial Revolution.

The accord requires companies to implement four layers of controls and audits, including internal monitoring, external evaluations, and the establishment of an independent oversight committee.

The pledge obligates each company to develop its AI responsibly, ensure proper internal controls, partner with independent auditors, and provide transparent reports on their safety measures.

The accord was signed by executives from leading tech companies, including Anthropic, Google, Meta, OpenAI, NVIDIA, and xAI.

“I will never stifle the growth of a technology that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution,” Trump said, according to AP. “We can’t stifle it, and we’re leading by a lot.”

Trump also said he would officially rename the technology “super intelligence”, arguing that “it’s not artificial.”

The comments came as scrutiny over AI risks has intensified, including concerns about AI agents behaving unpredictably and reports involving systems developed by OpenAI and Anthropic.

Who attended Donald Trump’s White House AI meeting?

The meeting brought together several leading figures from the US technology industry, with House Speaker Mike Johnson also in attendance.

Participants included Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, whose X platform has developed its own AI model, Grok.

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also attended.

Trump later told reporters that AI companies were increasingly recognizing the need to regulate themselves.

“I think I’m seeing tremendous self-policing. And they understand that they have to self-police,” Trump said during an impromptu press conference, AP reported.

Trump subsequently posted the “White House Accord on Super Intelligence” on his Truth Social account.

What does AI self-policing accord say?

The accord says each company is responsible for developing its AI technology safely and in a manner that builds trust among customers and the public.

Under the agreement, companies would establish internal controls to ensure that monitoring, detection, and other safeguards function properly and that identified problems are addressed.

The companies would also designate an internal team to oversee these systems and work with independent external auditors or evaluators to conduct assessments.

The agreement further calls for an independent board committee to oversee the process and receive reports on the companies’ AI safety measures.

Trump emphasized that the accord was “morally binding” rather than legally enforceable.

The accord was signed by Trump and executives or senior representatives from Anthropic, Google, Meta, OpenAI, NVIDIA and xAI.

At the White House luncheon, Huang sat to Trump’s right, while Musk sat to his left, according to a seating chart Trump posted on Truth Social.

The meeting came after Trump reiterated earlier Tuesday that the US government would not limit AI development or support calls for “guardrails” or other restrictions on the sector.

(With inputs from AP)

About the Author

Bhanu Pratap is a journalist who reports and writes on foreign affairs, India’s foreign policy, geopolitics and strategic affairs. He closely follows diplomatic developments in New Delhi and has a keen interest in defence and national security.<br> <br> Bhanu also focuses on in-depth, interview-based reports and regularly speaking with experts and policymakers to bring perspectives and context to major developments around the world.<br> <br> He is also interested in stories with strong humanitarian angles.<br><br> One such report examined the cases of Indian nationals who were allegedly recruited and forced into Russia’s war against Ukraine. While reporting the story, Bhanu spoke to the families of those affected and documented their experiences. The report was later taken into account by the United Nations in its findings on human rights violations linked to the war in Ukraine.<br> <br> For Bhanu, the zeal to produce meaningful and impactful journalism remains at the heart of his work.<br> <br>He has previously worked with Firstpost, NDTV, Newslaundry and Republic.<br><br> Bhanu studied at the Delhi School of Journalism, University of Delhi. He initially chose science with plans to pursue engineering, influenced by conventional expectations, but fate had other plans and eventually led him to journalism.<br><br> Beyond the newsroom, Bhanu enjoys exploring culture and history and often spends his days off on heritage walks. He is also passionate about travelling, biking and listening to folk music.<br> <br>For tips, reviews and suggestions, you can reach him at bhanu.pratap@htdigital.in.

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