Politics

Aug 5, 2026 Gabriela Ramos  and Emilija Stojmenova Duh

Governments tend to treat AI as a national-security challenge while devoting far less attention to its effects on education, health, labor markets, and the judiciary. Addressing AI’s societal risks requires institutions designed to recognize and respond to emerging threats before they become systemic failures.

PARIS—US President Donald Trump’s decision to put Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in charge of implementing his recent executive order on AI oversight marks a significant shift in America’s approach to tech governance. Such a change was unlikely to come from the AI industry or sectoral regulators, both of which remain wedded to the familiar narrative that regulation stifles innovation and that the overriding policy priority is to beat China by developing the world’s most advanced AI models—including, ultimately, superintelligence.