The United States has established a high-level task force to shape its approach to artificial intelligence superintelligence, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, acknowledging that the rapidly advancing technology could deliver enormous benefits while also posing serious risks that governments must address.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis in Athens, Rubio said the Trump administration had begun developing a framework to determine how Washington should respond to the opportunities and dangers associated with increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems.
The task force is being chaired by Jay Clayton and will examine potential regulatory measures, safeguards and ways to maximise the technology's economic and strategic benefits, he said.
"The US government has set up a process," Rubio said.
He explained that the administration wanted to understand both the potential advantages of superintelligence and the dangers that could arise from its development.
Rubio was responding to a question about the government's responsibility to prevent advanced AI laboratories from developing systems that could threaten humanity.
He said the administration had already assembled a group to consider these questions and develop an appropriate government response.
The Secretary of State described artificial intelligence as a rapidly evolving challenge requiring cooperation between governments and international partners.
"This is a new issue," Rubio said, before clarifying that the technology itself was not new but that public and government awareness of its implications had changed significantly.
He said Washington intended to work closely with allies as it developed its approach.
Rubio also referred to a recent gathering of technology leaders convened by President Donald Trump, saying a joint declaration had outlined broad principles for addressing superintelligence.
The administration's objective, he explained, was to encourage beneficial applications while limiting potential harm.
"How do we take the positives of it and harness it in a way that serves the interests of our country, and how do we mitigate or prevent the dangers of it?" Rubio said.
He said policymakers needed to understand the potential benefits and disadvantages before deciding what role government regulation should play.
Rubio stressed that the process had to move quickly because the technology was advancing at extraordinary speed.
The discussion also exposed the challenges facing governments seeking to regulate artificial intelligence without obstructing innovation.
Gerapetritis described AI as a major scientific and industrial breakthrough capable of transforming education, expanding knowledge and reducing gaps in expertise.
But he warned that the technology could also deepen inequalities and threaten democratic institutions.
The Greek minister identified misinformation, disinformation and addiction among vulnerable populations as areas requiring particular attention.
He argued that governments needed effective safeguards while recognising the difficulty of imposing regulatory limits on technological innovation.
"Our reality is that artificial intelligence is dual-use. It might be beneficial, but it can also be destructive," Gerapetritis said.
He called for a balanced approach that would protect citizens while allowing societies to benefit from technological advances.
"So yes to regulation, yes to technology, not no to technophobia," he said.
The exchange highlighted the growing international debate over the governance of advanced AI systems, particularly as governments consider how to manage technologies whose capabilities are developing faster than existing regulatory structures.
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