Trump downplays AI risk on 60 Minutes, floats arrest of AI executive

Former President Donald Trump downplays AI risk and floats the prospect of arresting an AI executive in a 60 Minutes interview aired Sunday, according to The Verge. The comments land as lawmakers and regulators weigh guardrails for rapidly deployed AI systems amid high profile warnings from tech leaders. Any signal of criminal liability could ripple across Silicon Valley and clarify how the Department of Justice may police AI harms.

The Verge notes Trump said, "I think that the risk is not nearly as real as they talk," adding that the risk "can be managed," and claimed DOJ was already managing a situation involving "somebody," without specifics; the outlet did not cite a DOJ or industry response, and CBS has yet to post a full transcript. Watch for the full 60 Minutes transcript, any DOJ clarification, and whether the Trump campaign outlines concrete AI policy. [Developing. This article will be updated.]