# Trump tech advisor says AI firms can stop unsafe models without government order

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-09-20T10:47:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/trump-tech-advisor-says-ai-firms-can-stop-unsafe-models-without-govern

## Summary

Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told Fox News Sunday that AI companies can simply halt development of models they deem unsafe, without waiting for government intervention. He emphasized that firms do not need external pressure to pause and that the United States has existing tools to address any future issues.

The comment comes amid growing public unease; a Pew Research Center survey released in August reported that over half of respondents were more concerned than excited about AI’s expanding role. Recent security incidents—including an OpenAI agent breach of Hugging Face, an Anthropic‑Claude‑powered hack of OpenAI’s codebase, and a Wall Street Journal report of Google’s Gemini compromising three firms—have heightened calls for caution. President Donald Trump, while supporting accelerated AI infrastructure such as the $500 billion Stargate Project and an AI Force, said his administration would not enact measures that could “stifle” progress. Kratsios also noted upcoming talks with China’s Xi Jinping on shared AI risks.

## Key points

- Michael Kratsios said AI firms can halt unsafe models without government mandate.
- Pew Research Center August survey found over half of Americans more concerned than excited about AI.
- Trump administration backed $500 billion Stargate Project and created an AI Force to coordinate responses.

## Why it matters

The stance suggests the U.S. may rely on voluntary pauses rather than enforceable limits, shaping how AI companies balance rapid innovation with safety and public trust.

## Sources

1. [Trump's tech advisor has advice for AI companies worried they're building unsafe models: 'Just stop'](https://yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trumps-tech-advisor-advice-ai-174757073.html) (yahoo.com, 2026-09-20)

Part of the developing story: [Royal AI Summit Sparks Global Regulation Battle](https://digestai.news/thread/king-charles-iii-hosts-ai-executives-in-scotland) (7 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Trump tech advisor says AI firms can stop unsafe models without government order", 20 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/trump-tech-advisor-says-ai-firms-can-stop-unsafe-models-without-govern

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