Former US President Barack Obama has welcomed calls from leaders of major AI research companies to slow the pace of artificial intelligence development, describing the move as an important and necessary first step amid growing concerns about the technology's far-reaching impact.
In remarks this week, Obama posted on X, "I was encouraged this week to see the leaders of the frontier labs agree on the need for them to slow down the pace of AI development. Given the stakes, it's a good and necessary first step."
"But I'm even more encouraged by the growing recognition that how this powerful new technology develops should be at the center of our public debate," he added.
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Obama, who has followed advances in artificial intelligence for more than a decade, said the potential consequences of AI should not be dismissed as exaggerated. He stressed that the technology is advancing at “lightning speed,” with developments occurring so rapidly that even the engineers building these systems may struggle to keep pace.
While supporting a slowdown, Obama rejected both extreme optimism and pessimism surrounding AI. He said, "I'm not an AI accelerationist who believes it will lead to some techno-utopia, and I'm not a doomer who thinks it will inevitably lead to humanity's destruction."
I was encouraged this week to see the leaders of the frontier labs agree on the need for them to slow down the pace of AI development. Given the stakes, it's a good and necessary first step. But I'm even more encouraged by the growing recognition that how this powerful new technology develops should be at the center of our public debate. I've been watching the progress on AI for over a decade now, and one thing that's clear to me is that the potential impact of this technology is not overhyped. It's also moving at lightning speed – and even faster than those who are engineering it can keep up with. I'm not an AI accelerationist who believes it will lead to some techno-utopia, and I'm not a doomer who thinks it will inevitably lead to humanity's destruction. But whether this technology results in amazing breakthroughs in medicine, energy and education or unleashes huge economic disruptions, greater inequality, and potential catastrophe will depend on the choices that we make right now – choices that should be made not just by the companies involved, but by all of us.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 14, 2026
Instead, Obama argued that AI's ultimate impact will depend largely on decisions being made today. He pointed to the possibility of transformative breakthroughs in areas including medicine, energy and education, while warning that the same technology could also trigger major economic disruption, deepen inequality and create potentially catastrophic risks.
According to Obama, determining which path AI ultimately takes should not be left solely to the companies developing the technology. He argued that governments, citizens and society at large must have a meaningful role in shaping how AI evolves and is deployed.
The former president emphasized that the choices being made now could determine whether AI becomes a tool for broad social progress or a source of significant economic and societal harm.
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