‘We can’t stuff AI back in a box’ says former US president Barack Obama, confirming he’s ’not a doomer’ while still calling for more government AI regulation
Former US President Barack Obama has weighed in on the accelerating AI debate with a measured perspective, stating that while artificial intelligence cannot be “stuffed back in a box,” society can collectively determine how it is developed and deployed. Obama’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about AI’s rapid advancement, with some industry figures calling for development slowdowns while others dismiss such concerns as doomsaying.
Obama expressed encouragement that leaders of frontier AI laboratories have agreed to voluntarily reduce the pace of development, describing the move as “a good and necessary first step.” While explicitly stating he is “not a doomer” about AI’s potential, he emphasized the critical importance of government regulation to ensure responsible development and use of the technology. His position reflects a pragmatic middle ground—acknowledging AI’s inevitability while advocating for proactive governance frameworks to manage its societal impact and guide its application.