US lawmakers from both parties and congressional staff view AI executives as a growing political liability, urging them to "talk less and do more" — focusing on product development and safety rather than extensive commentary on digital consciousness and global catastrophe. According to Axios, this bipartisan frustration stems from AI leaders' messaging that swings between prosperity promises and existential doom warnings, sometimes simultaneously at the same public events. Critics argue that AI industry leaders have failed to actively promote the technology's benefits and shared prosperity potential to the American public — a core element of any successful political campaign — instead fixating on worst-case scenarios. Lawmakers and regulators say this contradictory messaging has turned an already complex regulatory debate into near-unresolvable moral panic, further intensifying public backlash against the AI sector.