New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman discussed how artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies were transforming the world during a conversation hosted by the American Bar Association in Washington, DC. He described humanity as living through what he called "the second big bang," arguing that the advent of AI and other emerging technologies had made humans "godlike as a species." Friedman said the world would only survive the rise of AI if countries worked together to regulate it. He criticized the Trump White House and tech adviser David Sacks for opposing guardrails on AI, saying, "Do you realize if this goes wrong, you better have your fucking spaceship ready to get the hell out of here, because the pitchforks are going to be out for you, baby." Friedman compared AI to "vapor," arguing that it was not simply a new technology but a "species" that would become integrated into every facet of life.