(NEXSTAR) – President Donald Trump welcomed top Silicon Valley executives to the White House this week for a roundtable focused on artificial intelligence, even as lawmakers from both parties demand tighter regulation of the tech industry. Leaders from Meta, Google, OpenAI, Apple, and Microsoft joined the president to discuss their investments and progress in AI development. “This is definitely a high IQ group,” Trump said during the meeting, praising the companies’ efforts. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the president his company had invested “at least $600 billion” in AI initiatives. Microsoft Founder CEO praised the president for bring the group together. "The work being done by the people at this table is going to change the world,” said Gates. Trump emphasized his administration’s commitment to supporting the industry, and rolling back burdensome regulations they argue will put the US behind China in AI innovation. “We’re making it very easy for you in terms of electric capacity,” and positioning the U.S. to lead the global AI race, Trump said. But beyond in Washington, critics are raising concerns about the administration’s approach. “These are some of the wealthiest corporations in the history of the world,” said Rick Claypool, a researcher with the watchdog group Public Citizen. “It’s a really dangerous mixture.” Claypool warned that the administration’s AI strategy could shield tech giants from accountability in the name of innovation. According to Public Citizen’s research, the Trump administration has dropped more than 160 corporate lawsuits since January—one in four involving tech companies. “It makes it hard to trust fair law enforcement against real misconduct,” Claypool said. “These protections are essential for consumers, the public, and markets.” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is also pushing back against Big Tech. He recently launched an investigation into Meta after reports surfaced that Facebook’s AI chatbot sent explicit messages to children. “Zuckerberg’s company has gotten away with all kinds of wrongdoings for years,” Hawley said. “If this were a human engaging in these kinds of conversations with kids, we’d prosecute them.” Hawley, however says he’s confident the president will clamp down on the problem, citing the fact the president is a father and grandfather. First Lady Melania Trump is also advocating for stronger protections against AI-generated abuse. She backed the bipartisan “Take It Down Act,” which increases penalties for posting revenge porn, including content altered by artificial intelligence. The president signed the legislation into law in May.