Obama criticizes Trump on approach to AI, escalates warning for stronger regulation

The industry is telling us 'we want regulation': Rep. Sam Liccardo

Oversight of artificial intelligence is critically needed to protect the public, Congressman Sam Liccardo argues on 'The Story.' Pointing to a May poll showing nearly 80% of Americans support safeguards, the California lawmaker compares AI regulation to automobile seatbelt laws. Liccardo warns that Congress must set standards rather than rely on tech companies.

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Former President Barack Obama criticized President Donald Trump's approach to artificial intelligence on Friday, calling for stronger federal regulation as the technology rapidly advances and concerns grow over safety, jobs and human control.

"The challenge we have is that, obviously, we have a president currently that has said that’s for losers," Obama said during an appearance at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. "So we’ve got a gap of at least a couple of years, where things are moving really fast, and we have an administration that is not capable of or willing to — I would argue both — putting together a serious regulatory framework."

Obama's remarks expanded on a warning he issued last week, when he privately urged Democrats to make AI a central political issue. 

Former President Barack Obama blasted the Trump administration’s approach to artificial intelligence, arguing Friday that rapidly advancing technology required a "serious regulatory framework" from Washington. (IMO podcast)

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RNC member and Humans First Chairwoman Amy Kremer told Fox News Digital last week that policymakers should recognize AI’s risks without handing greater control to Washington or the technology companies themselves.

"You don't have to agree on politics to recognize reality: AI is moving incredibly fast, and policymakers need to understand both the opportunities and the very real risks that come with it," she said. 

"Where I likely disagree with President Obama is on what government should do about it. The answer isn't handing Washington bureaucrats more control, and it certainly isn't allowing Big Tech to write the rules that govern itself," she said.

"We need guardrails that protect Americans while allowing American innovation to lead the world. That means protecting children, workers and our national security, while making sure China doesn't win the AI race," she continued.

President Donald Trump pushed ahead with a different AI strategy, announcing a new "AI Force" while vowing his administration would not "hinder or stifle" an industry he viewed as critical to competing with China.

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The debate shifted again Saturday when Trump announced the creation of an "AI Force" and said he plans to appoint an AI czar, while reiterating that his administration would resist efforts to slow development as the United States competes with China.

"We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry," Trump said in a lengthy Truth Social post.

Obama, speaking during Colgate’s Family Weekend, argued that relying on companies’ financial incentives and potential liability was insufficient to manage the risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems.

"[The] government has to be regulating this!" Obama said. "I heard one of Donald Trump’s main advisors on this make the argument that, ‘The market will take care of it. These companies will solve the safety issues because they have every incentive to do so — if it turns out to be dangerous, people will just sue them, and they’re worried about financial liability.’ That’s not how we treat airlines! Or drug companies, or food companies."

Kremer told Fox News Digital that she felt Obama was "directing his criticism at the wrong branch of government."

"It is not the President's job to write laws. That responsibility belongs to Congress, and Congress needs to act," Kremer said.

"We need serious guardrails for artificial intelligence, but this should not become another partisan fight over Donald Trump or Barack Obama. AI is moving too quickly and the stakes are too high for that. Congress must do its job and establish clear, enforceable rules that protect our children, American workers, our national security, and our communities while allowing American innovation to continue," she added.

Kremer also said that Republicans should lead the framework for AI.

"Republicans should also recognize that if we fail to lead on this issue, we leave a political opening for the left to define the debate and write the rules. Conservatives should be leading with a framework that protects Americans, preserves innovation, respects states' rights and local control, and holds Big Tech accountable. We should not cede this issue to Democrats simply because some people believe any guardrail is anti-innovation," she said.

Obama’s warning came as leading AI executives, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk, publicly backed greater caution over the accelerating development of advanced AI systems. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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"Voluntary commitments from the AI companies themselves are not sufficient. The companies developing the most powerful technology in the world cannot also be the only ones deciding whether that technology is safe," Kremer said.

Obama's characterization of the administration came as the White House has pursued its own AI policy framework, though one focused heavily on encouraging development and limiting regulations it considers burdensome.

The Trump administration unveiled a national legislative framework in March addressing child safety, free speech, workforce issues and energy costs while calling for a consistent national approach to AI policy.

Trump also signed a national security directive in June ordering agencies to accelerate adoption of advanced AI while requiring systems used in national security settings to be "robust, steerable, controllable" and subject to clear lines of accountability.

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The disagreement has intensified as executives inside the AI industry themselves call for additional safeguards. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged companies last week to slow the pace of improvements to frontier models, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk expressed support for greater caution.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

CJ Womack is an associate editor at Fox News.

CJ joined Fox News Digital's team in 2026, which highlights the vital role journalism plays in shaping politics and culture. He has years of experience analyzing and reporting on the news media.

CJ graduated from Long Beach State University in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Journalism. 

You can send news tips to cj.womack@fox.com and follow CJ on Twitter.