Casar calls for ending the "AI arms race"
Greg CasarU.S. Representative (D-TX); Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus
Speaking at the Pro-Human Assembly in Washington, D.C., Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said "No one can win the AI arms race" and that it is up to lawmakers and the public to end it. He urged lawmakers and the public to confront the potential dangers of advanced AI more candidly and to reject the argument that the United States must accelerate development or lose to China in reaching artificial general intelligence. The one-day event was organised by the Future of Life Institute.
“No one can win the AI arms race … It’s up to us to end the AI arms race.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Washington impose stronger safeguards on frontier AI?
Washington's frontier-AI safeguards dispute continued beyond September's calls for legislation. On September 29, Trump and six companies signed an accord covering internal controls, outside evaluations and board oversight, with possible later codification. Trump defended self-regulation and existing federal powers. Critics including Jon Stewart and Tom Wheeler argue that company-led oversight is insufficient. An October 9 task-force statement describes reporting and remediation as mandatory, but does not specify enforcement mechanisms or penalties. The question remains whether Washington's approach supplies adequate, enforceable safeguards while allowing continued AI development.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Common Dreams report on Rep. Greg Casar's remarks at the September 15, 2026 'Pro-Human Assembly.'
Before the quotation
Speaking at the "Pro-Human Assembly" in Washington, D.C., as Congressional Progressive Caucus chair.
After the quotation
No further public follow-up had been reported as of this writing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Casar rejects the AI arms race and argues against accelerating systems that companies cannot control. He calls for public intervention rather than accepting the present course.
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- Sam Altman, Dario Amodei
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The Dispute Index. "Casar calls for ending the "AI arms race"". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-10-12. https://disputeindex.com/events/886-speaking-at-the-pro-human-assembly-in-washington