House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he hopes AI guardrails will be voluntary, speaking before a meeting with AI officials and President Trump. In an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box," Johnson said he favors "striking the right balance" and that he hopes the approach is voluntary.
Johnson said the meeting would reveal where things are headed, and that he believes industry leaders see "the handwriting on the wall" and want to reassure investors and the public that AI will be developed safely. His comments come as Congress has not passed AI regulation.
The remarks underscore the current dynamic: the White House and congressional leaders appear to be leaning on voluntary commitments from companies rather than new laws. Johnson's position aligns with that approach, though the source does not indicate whether the meeting produced any concrete outcome.