‘Yikes!' CNN anchor alarmed by lawmaker's warning about brewing 'apocalypse'

CNN anchor Boris Sanchez was visibly unsettled Wednesday after Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) offered a grim picture of what could happen if humans lose control of artificial intelligence.

The moment came during an appearance on “CNN News Central,” where Lieu rejected calls for a temporary ban on superintelligent AI, arguing that societies have rarely succeeded in stopping new technology. Instead, he called for safeguards that ensure advanced AI systems continue to follow human commands.

“We want to make sure they can continue to train their models, no matter how smart they get, to continue to listen to humans and to be able to obey shutdown orders,” Lieu said.

“Because if you have a view that, look, these companies are going to create superintelligent things that can never be turned off, then we might as well just go to Bora Bora and wait for the apocalypse,” he added.

“Yikes!” Sanchez responded. The CNN anchor then turned to the threat of competition from China.

Lieu argued that his bipartisan AI Kill Switch Act would not slow American innovation because it would apply only to models that have already been developed.

“If they go rogue or they do something catastrophic, then we have to be able as human beings to turn them off,” he said.

Congress, he added, “not only has the ability to regulate AI, but we’ve also got the moral responsibility to do so.”