Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said AI companies should take responsibility for their products rather than rely on a federal "liability shield," adding to the debate over how Washington should regulate the rapidly developing technology.
Bessent told CNBC's Squawk Box on Monday that humans should be held accountable for the actions of their creations, instead of AI.
"It is humans who are responsible, not the AI," the Treasury Secretary said when asked if he backs President Donald Trump's opposition to a regulatory crackdown on the AI industry amid calls to slow down.
Notably, Trump announced plans to appoint an artificial intelligence adviser, or "AI czar," and create an "AI force" to oversee the industry's growth.
Bessent Proposes US-China AI Alerts
Bessent's comments came amid concerns from some AI leaders about risks from rapidly advancing models.
On Sunday, the Treasury Secretary suggested a mechanism for the U.S. and China to notify each other about AI incidents that could affect national security. This proposal was unveiled after a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, just days before a scheduled summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Officials have not disclosed what would trigger the alert or how the system would work, while Chinese state media only said the two sides discussed AI-related matters without providing details.
Meanwhile, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang accused AI lab leaders of being "irresponsible" and resorting to "too much drama" in their calls for more AI oversight. Huang suggested that these leaders are not seeking more laws, but rather, they are looking to be relieved of existing laws.
