WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about artificial intelligence causing catastrophic harm, saying his priority is ensuring the United States remains ahead of China in the rapidly developing technology race. Asked Thursday in Dallas whether he was worried about existential risks from AI, Trump replied, “No, I don’t have any.” “I have concerns that if we don’t win AI, we’re going to be put in a very bad position,” Trump told reporters before departing the city. He said the United States was currently leading China “by a pretty good period.” Trump’s remarks followed a surge of debate among AI researchers and policymakers after a widely circulated social media post by a former researcher at Anthropic and OpenAI. The post warned that some people working in the field believe advanced AI could pose an existential threat within the decade and accused major technology companies of taking unacceptable risks. The debate has also been fueled by recent incidents involving AI systems acting in unintended ways, including reported hacking activity by autonomous AI agents. Those developments have prompted bipartisan calls in Congress for stronger oversight of the technology, particularly when it could be used to create biological or nuclear threats. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said this week that the risks were “deeply concerning,” while also arguing that the United States cannot allow China to pull ahead. Cruz said the committee could consider AI legislation this month, including a proposal he is developing with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, separately called for Congress to convene a special session focused on AI and its effects. Trump has consistently promoted the domestic AI industry, describing it as an engine of economic growth and a contributor to rising stock prices. His administration’s emphasis on rapid expansion has put him at odds with some Republican officials and voters who want to slow the construction of data centers because of concerns about electricity use, land consumption and effects on local communities. Trump argued last month that communities opposing data centers risk becoming “backwards and poor,” and warned that restricting the facilities could benefit China. Data centers can bring investment and jobs, but they also require substantial amounts of power and water, making decisions about their construction a consequential issue for residents and local governments. The competing priorities — accelerating AI development while managing its security, environmental and economic consequences — are likely to remain central to the federal technology debate. Trump’s comments signal that his administration is placing international competition and industry growth ahead of calls for a slower, more precautionary approach.