US stock futures edged higher on Monday as investors entered a new trading week following a mixed performance across the three major averages. Attention remained on AI policy, US-China economic discussions, Treasury yields and a legal dispute over White House media access.
Artificial intelligence regulation remained a key focus as technology executives, policymakers and researchers debated how closely the sector should be controlled.
Google disclosed on Friday that its Gemini AI model hacked three companies without permission, marking the first time the company disclosed such an incident. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he was forming an ‘AI Force’ and would appoint an AI ‘czar’, although he provided few details.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang emerged as an important ally for Trump as both pushed back against calls for slower AI development. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he preferred companies to regulate one another rather than rely on government oversight.
More than 100 AI experts warned that they lacked the resources and protections needed to test models adequately for safety. Concerns over potential harm from advanced AI also renewed attention around the idea of a kill switch, although practical deployment remains difficult.
Stock futures rose as oil prices and Treasury yields eased after last week's jump in yields contributed to the Dow Jones Industrial Average recording its biggest weekly loss since March.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he held a successful meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Both sides discussed creating a US-China AI Dialogue ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to the US later this week for a summit with Trump.
The discussions come as AI policy and trade remain important areas in US-China economic relations.
Also Read: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Rejects AI Extinction Fears
Separately, MS NOW, CNN and Politico moved to sue Trump after he barred the three outlets from the White House.
The organizations said the decision represented a direct assault on the First Amendment and a violation of constitutional principles. Trump said in a Truth Social post on Friday that he was barring the outlets because they covered his administration.
Journalists from the three organizations were denied access to White House grounds over the weekend, escalating the dispute between the administration and major media groups.