Obama, Harris join calls to slow AI development ahead of 2028 race

The debate over regulating the pace of artificial intelligence development is spilling into US politics. Former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — all potential Democratic contenders for 2028 — have called in quick succession for stronger government intervention, raising the prospect that AI regulation could become a defining issue in the next presidential election.

CNN reported Monday that Obama issued a statement saying the government and political leaders "must address serious safety concerns related to AI and anticipate its impact on jobs and children." He urged lawmakers to proactively develop concrete measures, legislation and regulations to ensure that "the benefits of AI are widely shared."

Obama also spoke at a recent closed-door fundraiser attended by Democratic House Floor Leader Hakeem Jeffries, where he reportedly told potential 2028 presidential candidates that AI should be a central issue in their campaigns.

Harris, who is widely expected to mount another presidential bid in 2028, went further, calling for a slowdown in AI development itself. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, she wrote that "cutting-edge AI technology is advancing at an alarming pace" and said the speed of frontier AI development must be reduced to give regulations and safeguards time to catch up.

She also urged Congress to establish a federal AI oversight body and called on President Donald Trump to pursue an international treaty to govern AI.

Buttigieg joined the chorus Monday, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" to warn that "AI is advancing rapidly, and it is very dangerous for the American people and the world that Congress is standing aside and the White House is not taking meaningful action."

The string of statements from prominent Democrats is sharpening the policy divide with Trump.

Trump has pushed back hard against calls for a slowdown, labeling them a "conspiracy," and argued that easing off development would hand China an opening to seize dominance in AI. On Monday he posted a series of messages on Truth Social reiterating that the United States must not stop developing AI and must win the competition against China.

The debate has been building since Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman both raised safety concerns in recent weeks. With leading Democratic presidential prospects now joining the call for regulation, AI policy is emerging as a new fault line in American politics — one that extends well beyond the technology and business sectors.