Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang held separate discussions with President Donald Trump in recent weeks. The executives expressed opposition to a proposal for a new industry-funded AI regulatory body, which was modeled after the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
The proposal for the oversight organization was initiated by Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis. His plan suggested an independent entity tasked with testing frontier AI models for cyber, biological, and deceptive risks, involving representatives from government, industry, and academia.
Zuckerberg, Musk, and Huang raised concerns that such a regulatory structure could consolidate influence around OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. Zuckerberg argued that individual labs should determine their own development pace, while Huang stated that no new laws or regulations are required.
President Trump did not agree to establish the proposed group, a decision that reportedly caused frustration among some White House officials. The administration has generally favored a lighter regulatory approach, often linking AI policy to competition with China.
The debate highlights a split among technology leaders regarding the necessity of external scrutiny. While some executives advocate for stronger coordination, others argue that formal oversight could allow incumbent labs to set standards that disadvantage their competitors.
