National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNBC on Tuesday that the private sector is more than capable of addressing the risks posed by rapidly advancing artificial intelligence.
“I think these are completely solvable problems,” Hassett told “Squawk Box.”
The comments came a day after President Donald Trump went on a social media rampage against AI industry leaders and other companies that raised alarms about their nascent technology.
President Trump has called these concerns a “hoax,” and his AI-friendly administration argues that America’s advantage over China in the rapidly expanding industry is essential.
Hassett told CNBC that the government is already playing a role that should not be expanded, and that a growing number of industry players and members of Congress are calling for that role.
“These are solvable problems, and the private sector is the best place to solve them,” he said. “The government is not asleep at the wheel. That’s not the case at all. The government is watching closely and using law enforcement as necessary to ensure that companies are acting responsibly.”
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