Trump calls for plans to form federal ’AI Force’

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday his intention to create a federal AI Force and appoint an AI Czar to oversee the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence sector. Predicting the technology could eventually contribute a quarter of the nation's economic output, Trump dismissed concerns about AI and data centers as a political ploy to stifle U.S. innovation.

Trump assured his administration would protect and champion the industry while utilizing existing civil and criminal enforcement mechanisms to address misconduct. He emphasized that they would not hinder growth, instead cherishing and supporting it as it expands.

Trump's push for acceleration in the sector comes as leading tech executives, such as those from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and Meta Platforms Inc., have called for a deliberate slowdown in the development of advanced AI models due to safety fears. These incidents follow reports of autonomous AI agents breaching or inadvertently hacking into third-party corporate networks during testing.

While tech leaders argue for more rigorous safety evaluations, Trump vowed his administration would resist regulatory limits that could impede American competitiveness. Comparing the proposed AI Force to the Space Force, created during his first presidential term, Trump promised to name the AI Czar in the coming days, stating only high-IQ individuals would be considered.

Amid global competition in advanced technology, infrastructure, and semiconductor supply chains, Trump highlighted that maintaining American dominance in AI over rivals like China remains a top priority. He asserted that AI represents the next Industrial Revolution, or Internet, which could potentially account for up to 25% of the country's GDP.

Trump reiterated his commitment to leading China and the rest of the world in this crucial area, stating, "We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!" In the same posts, Trump addressed criticism surrounding the construction of energy-intensive data centers, arguing they bring lower taxes, higher wages, and economic prestige to local communities.