Trump announces voluntary AI safety pact with tech giants amid data center expansion push

President Donald Trump announced on September 30, 2026, that major tech companies have agreed to voluntary industry standards for AI safety. The agreement, signed during a White House meeting with tech executives, includes commitments to hire independent auditors and prevent AI systems from accessing other technologies without authorization. Trump called the pact a 'constitution' and pledged to establish a ten-person committee to oversee AI safety. He also plans to appoint a new official to manage AI policy at the White House. The move comes amid public concerns over AI risks and opposition to new data centers due to energy and cost concerns. Trump argued that tech firms would help communities accept data centers. However, polls show 73% of Americans fear AI companies are not doing enough to prevent harm. Trump’s administration also unveiled a new AI tool to improve government services, backed by Silicon Valley executives, though he claimed it is secure without providing evidence. Trump emphasized his alliance with tech leaders, including OpenAI’s Greg Brockman, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. The White House also revealed a new AI tool, developed by Airbnb’s Joe Gebbia, with support from major tech firms. Trump ordered federal agencies to refer to AI as 'super intelligence' moving forward.