US ‘Totally’ Rejects Global AI Governance, White House Adviser Says

US Rejects Global AI Governance, Warns Against Centralized Regulation at Summit

United States has firmly rejected the idea of global governance for artificial intelligence, a senior White House official said Friday at a major international AI summit in India.

Michael Kratsios, White House technology adviser and head of the U.S. delegation to the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, stated that the Trump administration opposes centralized international control over AI development.

“As the Trump Administration has now said many times: We totally reject global governance of AI,” Kratsios said ahead of an anticipated leaders’ statement outlining a shared vision for managing the rapidly evolving technology.

“AI adoption cannot lead to a brighter future if it is subject to bureaucracies and centralized control,” he added.

Debate Over Global Oversight

Kratsios’ remarks come amid growing international discussions on how to regulate artificial intelligence, which presents both transformative opportunities and significant risks.

Earlier in the day, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the formation of a new expert advisory panel designed to guide global AI policy. The panel, composed of 40 confirmed members, aims to serve a role similar to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), but focused on AI.

Guterres said the initiative seeks to “make human control a technical reality” as AI systems become more powerful and widespread.

The AI Impact Summit previously known as the AI Safety Summit is the fourth annual international gathering addressing both the risks and economic potential of advanced AI systems.

Shift in Tone

Kratsios noted what he described as a shift in global conversations around AI, pointing to the summit’s rebranding from “AI Safety” to “AI Impact.”

“This is clearly a positive development,” he said. However, he criticized some international forums including the UN’s Global Dialogue on AI Governance for fostering what he called an atmosphere of fear around the technology.

“We must replace that fear with hope,” Kratsios said, arguing that AI has the potential to “advance human flourishing and drive unprecedented prosperity.”

Concerns Over Regulation

The U.S. position reflects longstanding concerns among some American policymakers that excessive regulation could stifle innovation and hinder economic competitiveness.

At last year’s summit in Paris, U.S. Vice President JD Vance warned that “excessive regulation” could undermine what he described as a transformative sector.

In New Delhi, Kratsios reiterated that focusing AI policy primarily on safety and speculative risks could restrict competition, entrench dominant players, and limit participation by developing countries.

He also argued that policy frameworks centered on issues such as climate and equity could lead to bureaucratic overreach and centralized control.

“In the name of safety, they increase the danger that these tools will be used for tyrannical control,” Kratsios said.

As global leaders continue to debate how best to balance innovation with oversight, the U.S. stance signals a widening divide over whether AI should be governed primarily at the national level or through international coordination.