Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) has a simple pitch for regulating artificial intelligence: treat it like medicine, nuclear power or airplanes. In other words, the stuff Washington has been overseeing for decades without the sky falling.

Khanna Calls for Independent Federal AI Agency

"Well, we need to set up an AI agency like the FDA," Khanna said Sunday on CBS's Face the Nation. He said AI could be regulated "like we regulate nuclear energy, electricity, aviation," with independent technical experts deciding whether systems are safe. And to anyone arguing the government lacks the expertise? "Give me a break. We have regulated very complex things," he said. "This is not complicated."

The comparison points to regulators with long track records. The FDA uses risk-based controls for medical devices. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and oversees civilian nuclear facilities. The Federal Aviation Administration regulates civil aviation and sets safety standards. Khanna's argument is essentially: if we can handle those, we can handle a chatbot.

The California Democrat has already pushed Congress toward tougher AI oversight, calling for a federal agency, mandatory safety certification, insurance and liability rules. "We can't let the tech lords make the rules," he said earlier this month. His push comes as lawmakers and AI executives debate safeguards for increasingly capable models.

Trump Favors Lighter Touch On AI

President Donald Trump favors a lighter regulatory approach. He has argued that America should not slow AI development because "whoever wins with AI wins." A June executive order said the administration would avoid "overly burdensome regulation" while strengthening cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure. Trump also announced plans for an "AI Force" and a new "AI czar," without detailing their structure.

Khanna Seeks International Guardrails With China

Khanna also wants international guardrails. "Winning an AI war is like winning a nuclear war," he said, calling the outcome "catastrophic for civilization." Khanna stated that he wants Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to pursue an agreement banning recursive self-improving AI and creating safeguards against misuse for biological or nuclear weapons.

That proposal overlaps with emerging U.S.-China talks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has proposed a notification mechanism for AI incidents that reach a national-security level, seeking more transparency between the world's two leading AI powers ahead of Trump-Xi talks.