US Sets Up High-Level Task Force to Develop Approach to AI Superintelligence

Speaking at a joint press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis in Athens, Rubio said the Trump administration was working on a framework covering potential safeguards, regulatory measures and ways to maximise the economic and strategic benefits of increasingly advanced AI systems.

The task force, chaired by Jay Clayton, will examine the policy challenges surrounding superintelligence and help determine how the US government should respond as the technology develops.

Rubio said the administration wanted to assess both the potential benefits of advanced AI and the risks that could emerge from increasingly powerful systems.

He was responding to a question about whether governments should intervene to prevent advanced AI laboratories from developing systems that could pose serious risks to humanity.

Rubio said the administration had already brought together a group to examine those concerns and formulate an appropriate government response. He described advanced AI as a rapidly developing issue that would require coordination between governments and international partners.

The Secretary of State said that while artificial intelligence itself was not new, the pace of technological development and growing awareness of its implications had created a new policy challenge.

Rubio also referred to a recent meeting of technology leaders convened by President Donald Trump, saying participants had outlined broad principles for addressing superintelligence.

He said the administration's goal was to encourage beneficial uses of advanced AI while reducing potential risks.

"How do we take the positives of it and harness it in a way that serves the interests of our country, and how do we mitigate or prevent the dangers of it?" Rubio said.

He stressed that policymakers needed to understand the potential advantages and risks before determining the appropriate role for government regulation. At the same time, he said the process needed to move quickly because AI capabilities were advancing at an exceptional pace.

The discussion also highlighted the challenge of developing safeguards without unnecessarily restricting technological innovation.

Gerapetritis described AI as a major scientific and industrial development with the potential to transform education, expand access to knowledge and reduce disparities in expertise.

However, he warned that advanced AI could also contribute to inequality and create risks for democratic institutions. He identified misinformation, disinformation and technology-related addiction among vulnerable groups as areas requiring particular attention.

The Greek foreign minister called for safeguards that protect citizens while allowing societies to benefit from technological progress.

He described AI as a dual-use technology that could produce significant benefits while also being used in harmful ways, and argued for a balanced approach to regulation.

The exchange reflected the growing international debate over how governments should govern advanced AI systems as their capabilities develop faster than many existing regulatory frameworks.