Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Slamming Republicans’ Toothless Response To The AI Threat: “A Guardrail That’s Optional Isn’t A Guardrail At All”

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) spoke on the Senate floor to criticize both the Trump administration and Senate Republicans' weak response to the existential threats AI poses to our world. Below are Senator Schumer's remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Donald Trump is asleep at the wheel when it comes to reining in unchecked AI.

Right after news came out over the weekend about rogue AI agents infiltrating government websites in the United States, Australia, and at the UN, do you know what Trump told Fox News: "I don't worry about it." Well, he's about the only one.

Trump doesn't worry about rogue AI, but the American people certainly do. So do cybersecurity experts and even many of the people who are building this technology. Everybody who knows anything about it worries about rogue AI. Not Donald Trump. He keeps his head in the sand like an ostrich, doesn't pay any attention to the facts, and just says whatever pops into his head, no matter how harmful it is.

So, when Trump meets with various AI industry leaders at the White House today, he ought to stop resisting the growing consensus that we need real guardrails to mitigate AI's risks. Trump's meeting at the White House will be a flop, a failure, an utter failure if they don't propose, and start talking about, and starting to come to an agreement about some real guardrails that need to be done. And, of course, he should consult those of us in Congress who believe we need stronger guardrails. Dismissing the potential dangers of AI as a hoax, as Trump has done over and over again, won't protect the American people.

The Senate GOP's response to AI risks has been almost as meek as Trump's. Americans are demanding real guardrails on AI and data centers, but all Republicans offer is a toothless messaging bill. The bill is a fraud. I can sum up the shortcomings of Republicans' data center bill with one word: optional.

The bill is optional. America, you hear that. Here we need some real actions on data centers, and what does the Republican Senator from Ohio come up with: something that is optional. It's up to the companies to decide. Well, they're the one that need the guardrails.

Optional. Optional requirements in his bill on datacenter developing. Optional standards for safety against catastrophic risks. Optional enforcement to protect the American people. A guardrail that is optional isn't a guardrail at all.

At a time when Americans are calling out for real guardrails on AI, Senate Republicans are trying to secure an ineffectual participation trophy before they skip town.

Instead of trying to score cheap political points with hollow proposals, Senate Republicans need to work with us to take meaningful action that will actually contain these existential risks. They're not doing that. And the American people are in real danger because of their failure to act.

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