US President Donald Trump has rejected calls for stronger controls on artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology does not require additional regulatory “guardrails.”

Trump made the remarks amid growing concerns from technology leaders and researchers about the potential risks associated with the rapid development of increasingly advanced AI systems.

The president criticised Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei after he called for a slower pace of AI development to give governments and companies more time to address potential risks.

Amodei’s position has received support from other prominent technology figures, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk, who have also raised concerns about the possible consequences of unchecked AI development.

Trump, however, maintained that the United States must continue advancing rapidly in AI to preserve its technological and economic advantage over China.

He argued that slowing American AI development could give China an opportunity to overtake the US in a technology sector that he considers strategically important.

Trump also defended his administration’s ability to address potential abuses by AI companies, saying existing criminal and regulatory powers were sufficient to deal with misconduct.

The debate comes as concerns over AI safety have intensified, with experts warning about potential threats ranging from cyberattacks and misinformation to more severe risks associated with highly autonomous systems.

Meanwhile, governments and technology companies around the world are facing increasing pressure to establish safeguards that can manage the risks while allowing continued innovation in artificial intelligence.