- Biden delivered his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, days before leaving office.
- Biden warned of an oligarchy taking shape in the US and a “technological industrial complex”.
- He also said that AI presents opportunities and risks and that the US should lead the way on China.
President Joe Biden issued stark warnings to the American people during his farewell address to the nation Wednesday night, capping a 50-year career in politics less than a week before the end of his one-term presidency.
Biden highlighted several accomplishments of his tenure, including passage of major climate legislation and a gun safety law. But he also said he wanted to warn the country of “the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-rich people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked”.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America with extreme wealth, power and influence that threatens literally our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot at everyone moving forward,” he said, adding that the rich should “pay their fair share of taxes” and play by the same rules as everyone else.
Biden also said he was concerned about the “potential rise of a technological industrial complex” that could pose real dangers to the US, citing a “concentration of technology, power and wealth”.
“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of disinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is being destroyed, editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up fact-checking,” Biden said, referring to outgoing moderator Meta facts from third parties. “Truth is drowned out by lies told for power and gain.”
Biden said artificial intelligence posed both opportunities and risks to American society, security and the economy.
“But if safeguards aren’t in place, AI can pose new threats to our rights, our way of life, our privacy, the way we work and how we protect our nation. We need to make sure AI is safe and reliable and good for all mankind,” he said, adding, “And as the land of the free, America, not China, should lead the world in AI development.”
Biden’s remarks on AI came a day after he signed an executive order to accelerate AI infrastructure projects in the US. On Monday he also announced new chip regulations aimed at advancing AI development in US-allied countries in a bid to counter China.
At the start of the speech, Biden briefly addressed the Gaza ceasefire deal that the White House announced earlier Wednesday after more than a year of conflict in the area.
Biden said the plan was developed and negotiated by his team and would be largely implemented by the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. “That’s why I told my team to keep the next administration fully informed, because that’s how it should be – working together as Americans,” he said.
A senior administration official said in a phone call Wednesday evening that the Biden administration worked for several months on the terms of the negotiations with officials from Egypt and Qatar, but in recent days, members of the Trump administration have joined the discussions to help finalizing the agreement. The official also said the transition from one president to another helped create a deadline for negotiations.
In his message Wednesday, Biden also emphasized trust and the importance of preserving American institutions and democracy.
Trump will be sworn into office on January 20, starting his second term in the White House.
Biden’s presidency is winding down after he withdrew from the presidential race last year to serve a second term amid concerns about his age and mental acuity.
