By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-jeffries-calls-on-republicans-to-stay-in-washington-to-work-on-ai-safety Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: Jeffries calls on Republicans to stay in Washington to work on AI safety Politics Sep 17, 2026 12:55 PM EDT Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries blasted House Republicans for leaving Washington until the midterm elections rather than working to ensure the safety of artificial intelligence. Watch the news conference in the video player above. Some in the tech industry have expressed concerns that an AI unshackled from human control could be destructive — a concern President Trump has rejected as a hoax. READ MORE: OpenAI reveals concerning new AI behavior and vows to track it more closely "The AI safety issue is very real," Jeffries said at a news conference. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. To help make his point, he noted that some industry leaders have called for the development of AI models to slow down. READ MORE: Speaker Johnson recesses House early, blocking Massie's push to impeach Hegseth "This is a serious issue. It requires serious engagement and serious and immediate action," Jeffries said. "And we're going to be here as House Democrats over the next several weeks working on this issue and other issues demanding that Republicans come back into town so we can take care of these very real concerns." A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries blasted House Republicans for leaving Washington until the midterm elections rather than working to ensure the safety of artificial intelligence. Watch the news conference in the video player above. Some in the tech industry have expressed concerns that an AI unshackled from human control could be destructive — a concern President Trump has rejected as a hoax. READ MORE: OpenAI reveals concerning new AI behavior and vows to track it more closely "The AI safety issue is very real," Jeffries said at a news conference. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. To help make his point, he noted that some industry leaders have called for the development of AI models to slow down. READ MORE: Speaker Johnson recesses House early, blocking Massie's push to impeach Hegseth "This is a serious issue. It requires serious engagement and serious and immediate action," Jeffries said. "And we're going to be here as House Democrats over the next several weeks working on this issue and other issues demanding that Republicans come back into town so we can take care of these very real concerns." A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now