U.S. President Donald Trump rejected the idea of establishing international regulations specifically governing the development of artificial intelligence (AI). In his speech during the general debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 22, Trump said the United States would continue to promote AI development under national oversight.
Trump said the United States opposed efforts to establish a global framework to control AI development. He said he did not want to hinder a technology that he believes could have a major impact on the economy and industry.
According to Trump, AI oversight in the United States would involve the Department of Justice. He also said the U.S. government would seek to maintain the country’s leadership in the development of the technology while taking security and responsibility into account.
In his speech, Trump also proposed using the term “super intelligence” instead of artificial intelligence. He made the remarks as debates over AI governance and its potential risks receive growing attention at international forums.
Trump’s position differs from the call made by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the same day. Guterres called for binding international cooperation to manage AI risks and advocated a multilateral AI risk management framework supported by credible and independent oversight.
Guterres identified AI as one of four major challenges facing the world, alongside war and peace, inequality, and climate change. He warned that decisions involving human life should never be handed entirely to machines.
Differences over AI governance have also emerged within the technology industry. OpenAI, for example, has called for the United States to lead an international effort to establish technical standards for advanced AI, including incident-reporting mechanisms and more consistent standards.
Amid the debate, AI safety has become one of the issues receiving attention during a series of high-level U.N. meetings. The U.N. Security Council is also scheduled to discuss AI risks, with several technology companies and AI developers expected to provide views on the technology’s potential impact on international security.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed a different view during the UNGA general debate. He called for greater regulation of major technology companies and AI, while emphasizing the importance of transparency and ethical limits in technological development.
The differing positions highlight an ongoing international debate over how AI should be developed and governed. Some parties emphasize the need for global coordination to manage risks, while the Trump administration opposes the creation of international frameworks that it views as potentially restricting technological development.
Fajar Santoso is a lifestyle and travel writer at RakyatPost who focuses on culture, tourism, modern living, and destination storytelling across Asia and beyond. With a passion for discovering unique experiences and local traditions, he creates engaging content that inspires readers to explore new places, lifestyles, and perspectives. His writing blends informative journalism with creative storytelling to deliver meaningful and reader-friendly travel and lifestyle coverage.
