Go and kiss your wife one last time; tomorrow you must go to jail.

BanglaPress Desk: "Prepare to go to jail. Kiss your wife one last time before you leave"—this is how U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a top executive at a major artificial intelligence (AI) company, amid concerns regarding the safety of AI technology. Trump himself revealed this during an interview on the popular CBS program "60 Minutes."

However, the U.S. President did not disclose the executive's name or the company he is affiliated with.

In the interview, Trump stated that they had received reports of someone attempting to use AI technology for harmful purposes. Upon learning this, he took a firm stance against the executive.

In Trump’s own words: "I called him and said, in no uncertain terms, 'Prepare to go to jail. Kiss your wife goodbye before you go.'"

He added that the executive was given only one night, with the suggestion that he return home to spend time with his wife and children.

Trump recounted, "We told him, 'Go home right now. See your wife and children. Kiss them goodbye—because tomorrow morning, you’re going to jail.'"

During the interview, Trump noted that the individual is a top executive at a major global AI firm, though he did not reveal the person's identity or the name of the company.

The U.S. President claimed that after receiving this stern warning, the executive completely changed his position. He also mentioned that the U.S. Department of Justice is currently working to address the risks associated with AI technology.

Who did Trump threaten?

It has not been possible to confirm the identity of the executive based on Trump’s remarks. While there has been speculation surrounding several prominent figures in the tech world, these remain mere conjectures.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has no children. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has children, but his spouse is a man. Elon Musk has several children but is currently divorced.

On the other hand, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang are both married and have children. Dario Amodei, the head of Anthropic, is married; however, it is unclear whether he has any children.

There is no evidence to identify any of these individuals as the person who received a threat from Trump. Consequently, while there is speculation surrounding the matter, nothing can be stated with certainty.

Trump’s views on AI risks

In the interview, Trump discussed not only the incident involving the threat against the official but also the potential risks associated with AI technology.

Some AI researchers have expressed concerns regarding the safety of the technology, with some even warning that AI could, in the future, pose an existential threat to humanity.

Trump, however, considers these fears to be exaggerated. In his view, the risks of AI are not as dire as they are often portrayed, and they can be managed through appropriate oversight.

"I don't think the risks associated with AI are as significant as they are made out to be," Trump said. "And these risks can be managed."

Despite concerns regarding the safety of AI technology, Trump is unwilling to fall behind China in this race. He argues that if the United States lags in AI development, China will pull ahead, placing Washington at a major strategic disadvantage.

"First of all, China is going to acquire this technology regardless," he stated. "If we don't, they will. That would put us at an incredible disadvantage. This competition is essentially between us and China."

Trump also indicated a willingness to work with Democrats on implementing controls for AI technology. He noted that he has no objection to certain safety-related restrictions, provided they do not cause the United States to fall behind in the AI ​​race.

"I am not opposed to implementing some safety regulations," Trump remarked, "but I do not want to see the United States relegated to second place."

He further pointed out that under President Xi Jinping, China maintains strict control over technology within its borders. In contrast, he asserted that the United States balances the development of AI technology with a focus on safety. Notably, the Trump administration has so far maintained a collaborative stance toward AI companies. Last September, U.S. technology firms even signed a voluntary agreement aimed at the safe development of AI.

However, with the rapid advancement of AI technology, the issues of safety and regulation are becoming increasingly significant for policymakers in the United States.

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