Congress Demands AI Regulation After Researcher's Stark Extinction Warning Sparks Panic

Former Anthropic Researcher Sparks Congressional Uproar

Jacob Coxon's resignation from Anthropic on Tuesday ignited a firestorm across Washington. The former OpenAI and Anthropic researcher's X post garnered more than 150 million views1

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, warning that people building AI "earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade."3

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His stark message was amplified when Evan Hubinger, Anthropic's alignment science lead, responded by putting his personal estimate of extinction risk above 10% over the next decade3

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. Another Anthropic employee, Samuel Marks, echoed the warning, stating "AI developers believe their technology could cause human extinction" and "this could happen in the next few years."4

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Bipartisan Support Reaches Tipping Point

More than 20 members of Congress called for stronger AI regulation this week1

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, marking what Rep. Lori Trahan described as a "tipping point" in bipartisan support for AI safety measures. "My phone has rung off the hook this week with rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans who want to see action," Trahan told CNBC's Squawk Box on Friday1

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. Rep. Johnny Olszewski stated "We should absolutely act, and act with urgency,"4

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while Rep. Anna Paulina Luna wrote that "Congress needs to convene a special session on AI and what the future of the U.S. looks like."4

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Competing Legislative Proposals Emerge

Lawmakers have introduced multiple bills addressing catastrophic AI outcomes. In July, Trahan and Rep. Jay Obernolte introduced the FRONTIER Act, which aims to establish a framework for governing advanced AI models with tiered requirements based on company size1

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. Rep. Nathaniel Moran and Rep. Ted Lieu introduced the AI Kill Switch Act, requiring AI companies to maintain the ability to shut down, throttle or suspend their models1

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. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Greg Casar announced the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act, which would temporarily pause advanced AI development until federal safety rules are established1

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Senate Negotiators Craft Duty of Care Framework

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, along with Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ted Cruz, are negotiating legislation that would create a "duty of care" for AI developers5

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. Companies would need to design their products to prevent catastrophic risks, including the possibility that bad actors could use AI systems to design nuclear or biological weapons5

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. Negotiators are aiming to give the US government power to block release of certain AI models deemed unsafe, with companies able to challenge decisions in federal court5

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. The bill would also block states from enforcing their own laws governing certain risks posed by advanced AI models5

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Leadership Silence Threatens Momentum

Despite rank-and-file enthusiasm, congressional leadership has remained largely quiet. The offices of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not respond to requests for comment2

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. House Speaker Mike Johnson said at the GOP convention he wants to bring AI companies together to reach "consensus" on safety guardrails "maybe even at the beginning of the winter,"2

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but has given no indication of treating this as pressing. The House is scheduled for just four more days in session before Election Day, meeting next week before a six-week recess4

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Calls for Structural Congressional Reform

Sen. Ruben Gallego urged Senate leadership to establish a bipartisan Senate Select Committee on AI at the start of the next Congress, writing that "jurisdiction over AI is scattered across multiple Senate committees, each with a focused lens but none with the full picture."1

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Rep. Ted Lieu has also privately pitched this idea to House Democratic leadership4

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. While some members have privately bristled at the proposal over jurisdictional concerns, most sources suggested it is widely supported and has a decent chance of implementation4

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Trump Administration's Limited Framework

President Donald Trump signed an AI executive order in early June asking AI developers to voluntarily submit their models to government assessment ahead of full release1

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. However, the administration has not published the framework for implementing that order1

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. The Trump administration's new framework for reviewing advanced AI models doesn't require companies to publicly report real-world incidents2

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. Trump dismissed existential threats from AI on Thursday, telling reporters that "if we don't win AI, we're going to be put in a very bad position."1

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President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet at the end of this month, with AI safety on the agenda2

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Public Sentiment Shifts Against AI

More than half of Americans say they're more concerned than excited about the growing use of AI in daily life, up from 37% in 2021, according to an August Pew Research Center report1

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. Backlash against AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic has mounted in months leading up to November's midterm elections, especially among people who associate AI with job loss and large data centers1

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. Despite growing unease, there's little consensus about how the technology should be regulated in the US1

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Industry Influence Complicates AI Policy Discussions

OpenAI and Anthropic have maintained a regular presence in Washington this year, publishing several policy recommendations1

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. OpenAI's top lobbyist Chris Lehane said this moment requires a "new" chapter on AI policy, though the company's positions remain largely unchanged2

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. His first point discusses working with US Congress on mandatory rules—a federal law that would be easier to tackle than playing whack-a-mole at the state level where AI bills can actually pass2

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. Without clear support from Senate or House Republican leaders and by extension Trump, US Congress is poised to keep debating ad nauseam2

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. The congressional calendar complicates passage, with the House scheduled for only one week in session before the November 3 midterm elections while the Senate expects three weeks in Washington5

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