Trump Plans to Establish AI Force

US President Donald Trump has unveiled plans to establish a specialized "AI Force" and appoint a dedicated "Tsar" to oversee the industry. The formation of this new body comes as global concerns escalate regarding the potential risks associated with increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence systems.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump indicated that the new AI official would be responsible for supervising the industry for "bad behaviour," though he explicitly stated that he does not intend to implement safety regulations that could stifle technological progress. “We will not in any way hinder or stifle the growth of this incredible industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows,” he stressed.

Trump characterized AI as a transformation comparable to the Industrial Revolution or the birth of the internet, suggesting it could eventually represent as much as 25% of the US GDP. “We are leading China, and the rest of the world, and I intend to keep it that way!” he said. The proposed AI position is intended to replace David Sacks, Trump’s technology advisor, who recently stepped down from his role as White House AI and crypto czar in March.

These comments from the US President follow recent calls from prominent industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, for a more measured approach to frontier model development due to safety concerns. Additionally, Anthropic alignment researcher Evan Hubinger recently issued a dire warning suggesting that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity within the next decade.

Trump has dismissed these warnings regarding AI as a “hoax.” During a recent Politico event, David Sacks told reporters that public anxiety surrounding the technology was part of a "fear-mongering playbook" and argued that new federal regulation was unnecessary, suggesting instead that developers should be held liable for specific problems caused by their models. Beyond the debate over existential threats, public opposition to massive data centers is also growing in the US. An Associated Press poll found that 53% of US citizens are extremely or very concerned about the environmental impact of AI-focused data centers.

In July, New York became the first US state to pass a one-year moratorium on the construction of new hyperscale data centers requiring 50 MW or more of power. This temporary halt was prompted by concerns over the strain on the electricity grid, rising utility costs for residents, water consumption, and the broader environmental footprint of such large-scale facilities.