Artificial intelligence is everywhere. It includes basic chatbots, image generators, corporate agents, and much more.
AI is not going away, and neither is its very real threat to humanity. From the predictions that AI will “break” the career ladder for young Americans to the national security concerns involving China or other malicious actors, AI’s risks to society are all too clear.
What is less clear is how the United States will mitigate these risks. What is the role of federal or state-level public policy? Who in power will speak out—and speak loudly?
I argue that conservatives are uniquely positioned to lead the charge, and they have a responsibility to act while in power—from Capitol Hill to governors’ mansions nationwide. There is absolutely no excuse for inaction given AI’s increasing omnipresence.
So far, many on the right have joined the fight for AI security and safety, including Senator Josh Hawley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Ron Johnson, Steve Bannon, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, and many more.
In 2025 alone, the largest technology companies will invest at least $300 billion in AI technologies. This will potentially lead to business expansion, job creation, and economic growth—all hallmarks of the conservative cause.
However, there are many questions that conservatives should be asking themselves as the AI industry rapidly develops. Do we trust Big Tech to do the right thing by developing AI safely and securely, without transparency or oversight?
Can we afford to allow Silicon Valley’s mega-companies—with their left-wing leanings—to concentrate more and more power and wealth in San Francisco?
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According to Silicon Valley Bank, some 40 percent of the money raised by U.S. startups last year came from funds focused on AI. Much of that funding is flowing through Silicon Valley, and we have seen Big Tech fail us before.
From social media and search engine censorship to collusion with the Biden administration – Google, Meta, and OpenAI cannot be given a blank check to develop advanced AI without safeguards. That failed during the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, as conservative influencers and other voices know all too well.
AI presents other risks that could threaten every single American’s freedoms. The emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI) raises the possibility of Big Tech and Big Government working together to increase surveillance and personal data collection, whether it means tracking our every move, punishing us for “bad behavior,” or silencing dissent.
Those who fear domestic spying by the deep state should be extremely concerned about AGI’s potential to usher in a police state and target free people everywhere. Lest we forget the National Security Agency’s 2013 spying scandal, except potentially far worse this time around, with AI’s intelligence-gathering capabilities growing in strength by the day. (There is a reason why Chinese spy agencies are investing so heavily in AI.)
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, is certainly betting big on super-intelligence too, but to what end?
Then, of course, there is national security. A top priority for conservatives is to ensure peace through strength in an ever-changing, increasingly hostile world, bolstering our defenses rather than weakening them.
Just like President Reagan battled Soviet communism in the 1980s, we must also fight the threats of today—from the Chinese Communist Party to rogue regimes and terrorist groups. Our adversaries know that, in the wrong hands, AI can wreak havoc on American society.
Bad actors with advanced AI could develop a novel bioweapon that leaves us defenseless—killing hundreds of millions of people. Our enemies could weaponize AI against U.S. institutions and take over critical infrastructure, including power, water, communications, and transportation systems. They could also wage unprecedented cyberattacks that cripple our society, causing massive social and political instability.
In fact, AI-powered cyberattacks are already happening. The question is, “What are our leaders going to do about it?”
The best time to implement proper safeguards on AI was yesterday. The second best time is today. From job loss to national security threats, anxious Americans are increasingly discussing the potential risks of AI, so our political leadership needs to strike while the iron is hot and address these anxieties through meaningful action.
Will conservatives take the lead? I certainly hope so, and I welcome many more leaders to join this urgent cause.
Brendan Steinhauser is CEO of The Alliance for Secure AI, an organization focused on educating policymakers and the public about the impacts of advanced AI.
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