An Anthropic researcher’s fears that artificial intelligence could pose an existential threat to humanity have sparked division in the political arena, as the White House and Congress bicker over whether extensive guardrails are necessary to regulate technological advancement. 

Jacob Coxon, the researcher, resigned from Anthropic last week due to concerns about the direction he said AI is headed. While some industry leaders and major lawmakers have taken his warning to heart, President Donald Trump has largely waved aside concerns as fearmongering, touting AI as a critical way to beat Beijing ahead of his high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this month.