Where World Leaders Stand on AI
What five people in power said about artificial intelligence between September 10 and September 14, 2026, in their own words.
Five statements, one week.
Donald Trump, President of the United States — September 14. Posted to Truth Social: "The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!" He dismissed the idea of new AI guardrails, saying he would himself be a sufficient guardrail against rogue artificial intelligence and that efforts to limit the technology were part of a "SICK conspiracy" against AI and data centres, which only China benefits from. He said critics were raising risks that "won't happen" and that America should prioritise staying ahead of China. The remarks followed Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei calling for AI firms to slow development of their most advanced models on safety grounds.
Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada — September 14. Said Canada wants the creation of a global "technology stability" body to help oversee artificial intelligence and ensure it is safe, speaking ahead of Canada's first national investment summit in Toronto. Of the five statements here, it is the only call by a head of government for binding international oversight.
Xi Jinping, President of China — September 13. At the BRICS summit in New Delhi, said China will lead the creation of an "open-source zone for artificial intelligence" for the bloc: a BRICS AI open-source community, cooperation on developing and applying large language models, and AI seminars and training courses for member countries. The statement concerns access and capability. It does not address risk.
Vladimir Putin, President of Russia — September 12–13. At the same summit, told the BRICS Outreach/Plus session that "technological transformation is a key driver of global growth and sovereign development," and that "with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, the development of autonomous systems, and the rise of digital trade platforms and financial solutions, the very model of economic value creation is shifting." The remarks are economic. They do not address regulation or risk.
Chen Yixin, Minister of State Security, China — September 14. Not a head of state, and included because of the timing: one day after Xi's summit remarks, China's top intelligence official warned that AI is a "new arena for strategic rivalry" and called for stronger risk-prevention frameworks, citing state data, business secrets and personal privacy.