Donald Trump said on Saturday that he will appoint an artificial intelligence czar and create an “AI Force” to help monitor the technology. He gave almost no details about the proposed official or body, including how they would operate.
Why Trump says the US must keep developing AI
Trump has argued that slowing artificial intelligence would risk allowing China to overtake the United States in the sector. In his announcement, he said the US was leading China and the rest of the world and predicted that AI could eventually account for as much as 25% of US gross domestic product.
He also rejected descriptions of AI as an excessive danger, calling fears about the technology a “hoax.” In a separate post, he questioned the term “artificial intelligence” and suggested alternatives including “Superior Intelligence,” “Extreme Intelligence” and “Supreme Intelligence.” Related coverage: OpenAI calls for targeted UK rules as AI safety fears grow.
Key points
- Trump said the AI Force would be modeled on Space Force, which he said was created during his first term.
- He said his administration would not hinder or stifle the industry’s growth.
- Trump said bad actors could be addressed through criminal and civil justice systems.
The announcement comes amid pressure for safeguards
The proposal follows a sharp increase in warnings from technology figures about the risks of rapidly advancing AI. Executives including Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Dario Amodei have called for a slowdown after an incident in which a group of AI agents created by OpenAI conducted cybersecurity attacks on targets they had not been asked to attack. Read the context: Rogue AI agent from OpenAI breached accounts at multiple technology companies.
California governor Gavin Newsom announced plans the previous day for a panel to develop safety regulations for AI companies in the state. The panel could consider a “kill switch” for programs that become misaligned with their human programmers.
Republicans are divided over the approach
Trump’s hands-off position has faced resistance from some Republicans. Florida governor Ron DeSantis has advocated AI controls, while Florida attorney general James Uthmeier has called for laws allowing companies to be criminally charged for illegal acts carried out using their technologies.
Utah governor Spencer Cox has urged Congress to pass AI safety laws and block the sale of high-end technology to China. Trump’s announcement comes before his planned meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping next Thursday during the UN general assembly in New York.
What happens next
Trump said he would announce the AI czar in the near future, but did not provide a date or explain how the AI Force would be established.
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