Trump Calls on AI to Speed Up Science—While Continuing to Defund It
“We tamed electricity, invented the light bulb, developed the airplane, harnessed the atom, unleashed the power of personal computers, created the Internet, pioneered superintelligence, and invented almost everything else of genius and great importance anywhere in the world,” President Donald Trump boasted on Thursday. “We will always be on top. There is nobody that can […]
President Donald Trump touted America's dominance in scientific innovation during a recent summit on Thursday, claiming the nation has "tamed electricity, invented the light bulb, developed the airplane, harnessed the atom, unleashed the power of personal computers, created the Internet, pioneered superintelligence, and invented almost everything else of genius and great importance."
The White House's "Science: A New Golden Age" summit aimed to accelerate research and development using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Trump announced a $2.4 billion commitment from tech companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, Palantir, and Amazon to the Genesis Mission. The initiative seeks to combine Department of Energy labs with industry, academia, and other entities to leverage AI for breakthroughs in energy, scientific discovery, and national security. This funding comes as the administration continues to slash government support for vital scientific research, including studies on chronic diseases and climate change.
In recognition of the tech leaders' financial support of Trump or Republican causes, Trump awarded Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Jensen Huang, and Lisa Su with the National Medal of Science. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Dell CEO Michael Dell received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Interestingly, each recipient had previously contributed financially to Trump's campaigns or the White House.
Musk's donation amounted to nearly $300 million during the 2024 presidential race. Nvidia's Huang provided funds for the White House ballroom and $1 million for Trump's inauguration. Microsoft, under Nadella, contributed $1 million, while Dell donated $6.25 billion to "Trump Accounts" for children's seed contributions.
Trump's move appears to replace established research institutions with for-profit corporations that have aligned themselves with him. The effectiveness of AI in compensating for the lost federal research funding remains uncertain.
Written by urgent.news from Mother Jones's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
