This week, tech leaders are expected to meet at the White House as concerns grow on both sides of the aisle - and among the American people - over how quickly artificial intelligence capabilities are advancing.
Wednesday, ABC15's Nick Ciletti spoke to Arizona Senator Mark Kelly about this - and what Congress can do.
This week, Politico published a survey which said 63% of respondents believed there was at least a moderate risk of AI destroying humanity.
"There are things we can do and should do and we need to act," explains Sen. Kelly.
Sen. Kelly said Wednesday he would be meeting with staff members to discuss AI concerns and that in the past, he's had discussions with AI companies.
"I think CEOs need to get on board," he says. "They can put in the guardrails themselves - but we can't count on them to do that. It's the responsibility of the Senate, House, and Trump Administration."
But the White House is pushing back; last week, President Donald Trump called concerns over AI a "hoax."
Tuesday, Attorney General Todd Blanche held a news conference where he said the US needs to remain competitive in the AI race.
"We can't afford to lose the AI race to China... Everyone knows that," said Blanche.
Sen. Kelly says there is still a way to remain ahead of the curve --while also trying to maintain safety.
"We have to put some restrictions on these companies," said Sen. Kelly. "The companies are starting to ask for these things. They want regulation. They want guardrails in place. We have to be able to mitigate for bad outcomes before they actually happen."
Especially considering that there are positive ways in which AI is already being used across many sectors in society, Sen. Kelly explains.
"There are upsides as well. I think the industry needs to do a better job of selling that to the American people and selling the upsides, like curing disease, extending life spans, solving problems that are caused by climate change, creating new chemistry and new materials. We can advance innovation in science, technology, engineering much more quickly with these tools but we have to be very careful and have the guardrails in place."
