PoliticsJimmy Kimmel Has an Idea That Could Make Donald Trump Take AI Risks Seriously
Jimmy Kimmel joked about an unconventional way to make Donald Trump take artificial intelligence risks seriously.
Sept. 26 2026, Published 9:33 a.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel has proposed an unconventional way to make President Donald Trump take warnings about artificial intelligence seriously: tell him ChatGPT is preparing to release the “Trump-Epstein files.”
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host delivered the suggestion during his September 17 monologue while discussing concerns from within the technology industry about the potentially catastrophic risks posed by increasingly advanced AI.
Jimmy Kimmel referenced concerns from technology researchers about the potential dangers of advanced AI.
“So researchers at Anthropic — one of them said he believes there was more than a 10 percent chance AI could end all human life,” Kimmel said. “But don’t worry, because President Trump has assured us that this threat to our existence is nothing more than a hoax.”
The Robot-Movie Warning
The late-night host mocked Donald Trump’s dismissal of warnings about artificial intelligence.
Trump has pushed back against calls to slow AI development or impose additional safeguards, insisting that the technology will not take control.
“He said the robots will not be taking over the world, which is exactly what the president says at the beginning of the movie where the robots take over the world,” Kimmel joked.
The host then turned to reports that some administration officials have been trying to persuade Trump to take warnings from prominent technology figures more seriously.
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Somebody Get Grandpa
Jimmy Kimmel joked that White House officials were struggling to persuade Donald Trump to support AI safeguards.
“Senior officials in the White House have been meeting almost daily to discuss ways of convincing the president to put up more guardrails against AI to protect us,” Kimmel said, referencing reporting about internal discussions.
“They’re calling it ‘Operation Take Away Grandpa’s iPad,’” he joked.
The warnings have reportedly come from technology leaders including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Elon Musk. Kimmel suggested, however, that Trump’s advisers were struggling to change the president’s position.
“Trump’s staff has reportedly given up on trying to convince him of anything, which to me is even scarier than AI,” Kimmel said.
The Trump-Epstein Files Solution
Jimmy Kimmel proposed a fictional release of the Trump-Epstein files as a way to prompt action.
“I think I have a way they can — and I hope they’re watching — because if you want him to take the threat of AI seriously, it’s real simple,” Kimmel said. “Tell him ChatGPT is about to release the Trump-Epstein files.”
The studio audience erupted in cheers as Kimmel predicted the imaginary disclosure would inspire immediate action.
“I’ll bet $100 we’ll get Pandora stuffed right back in that box,” he concluded.
