French President Emmanuel Macron has been recognized by Sam Altman as the world leader who stands out for their approach to AI, with Altman calling him "extremely thoughtful" and "having been for a long time about where this is going and what the shape of it needs to look like".[7985927][7998678] However, criticism of Macron's approach to AI has sparked debate, with some arguing that his leadership is being undermined by the impending departure from office and the rise of a deregulation-friendly far-right candidate, Marine Le Pen.[7985927][7998678] Le Pen's National Rally party advocates for a policy of deregulation on AI, which could potentially undermine Macron's efforts to push AI safety on the global stage.[7985927][7998678] Altman also warned that the "bad things" that will happen with AI, such as hacks and scams, must be accepted in order to harness its benefits.[7998678] The comments from Altman sparked an instant backlash from critics of major AI companies, with some expressing concerns about the lack of regulation.[7998678]