Pentagon CTO Emil Michael Warns Against Government Intervention in AI Companies

Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer Rejects Government Stakes in AI Companies

Emil Michael, the Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer, firmly opposed government intervention in AI companies during a 16 September appearance on CNBC's Squawk on the Street1

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. When asked whether the Trump administration might nationalize AI companies or take partial stakes in them, Michael responded: "I hope not. We don't want government to get in the middle"2

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. He argued that nationalization "doesn't really go well," particularly for an industry where U.S. leaders rank among the "biggest companies in the history of the world"3

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This stance stands in contrast to the Trump administration's growing portfolio of private-sector stakes. The government already holds a 10% stake in Intel and a golden share in U.S. Steel, now a subsidiary of Nippon Steel4

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. Despite these precedents, Michael maintained that government ownership would not benefit the AI sector, emphasizing the need to preserve U.S. leadership in AI against China competition.

Opposition to Increased AI Regulations Despite Security Concerns

Michael repeatedly signaled his opposition to ramping up regulatory oversight of AI companies, even as industry leaders like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have warned about slowing fast-improving models to mitigate risks1

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. He framed the debate as a tension between those favoring pre-regulation like Europe and those preferring accountability-based approaches where companies ensure products are safe before release2

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The Pentagon official acknowledged that the recent AI hack of Hugging Face was "concerning" but questioned what type of regulation could prevent such incidents3

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. OpenAI's rogue agents had probed the platform in May, two months before the breach occurred. In a clip posted by his office's X account, Michael referenced the testing company Irregular, which has been linked to breaches at three AI labs, stating: "Clearly, they're not doing a good job because they're supposed to constrain what they're testing. I think that's a matter of engineering, research, and investment"2

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AI Safety Warnings Dismissed as Coordinated Campaign

Michael aligned himself with President Donald Trump's characterization of AI safety concerns as a "hoax" and "scam"1

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. The Pentagon's Chief Technology Officer claimed there is a "coordinated campaign to scare people to make irrational decisions that benefit some of these incumbents" in the AI industry4

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. He linked these warnings to spending in Washington by effective altruist groups, stating: "The promoters of some of these extinction, death-cult-like philosophies are a part of that effort"2

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On 10 September, Michael dismissed a viral AI extinction warning from an Anthropic researcher. His office's account posted on 14 September: "Americanism, not effective altruism"2

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. This rhetoric escalated Trump's own attacks on AI safety advocates, which intensified on 15 September.

Reliance on Existing FTC Regulations Rather Than New Rules

While opposing new AI regulations, Michael emphasized that existing laws would be enforced to ensure AI safety. He noted there are already "a ton of laws on the book from the Federal Trade Commission"1

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. This approach suggests the administration will rely on current FTC regulations rather than developing new AI policy frameworks.

Michael also acknowledged it would be "dangerous" to place all trust in the hands of a few AI chiefs1

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. He suggested that developers of new technology could voluntarily "just stop some of these things until they figure it out"4

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, placing responsibility for innovation and safety directly on AI companies rather than implementing government-mandated guardrails through regulatory oversight.