President Donald Trump said he will appoint an official responsible for artificial intelligence and form an unspecified “AI Force,” rejecting calls from lawmakers and industry leaders for new guardrails on the rapidly advancing technology.
Trump compared the new “AI Force” to the “Space Force” he added to the Armed Services in his first term. The White House did not immediately respond to a request to clarify whether the agency would be military or civilian.
The president’s announcement on Saturday also referenced policing “BAD” aspects of the industry through enforcement of existing criminal and civil laws.
“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “AI is the next Industrial Revolution, or Internet, but will be even larger and more impactful.”
The announcement came as a growing chorus, including Democrats, Republicans and tech CEOs, call for slowing down AI development amid disclosures that Anthropic, OpenAI and Google models went rogue and hacked other companies. (The Washington Post has a content partnership with OpenAI.)
Trump dismissed such concerns as a hoax, comparing them to global warming, the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and his two impeachments.
He also repeated his criticism of public opposition to data centers, calling such views “crazed.” That position has put him at odds with many Republicans who have expressed sympathy for voters’ concerns that data centers will raise electricity costs and disrupt neighborhoods.
The White House has developed a voluntary framework for the government to review new AI models for cybersecurity risks. In resisting more AI regulation, Trump has emphasized the need to compete with China, saying last week, “Whoever wins AI wins.”
Trump is expected to discuss AI safety with Chinese President Xi Jinping when they meet in Washington next week. Administration officials declined to comment on those discussions beforehand.
U.S. defense officials and outside analysts have debated the idea of creating a separate “Cyber Force” to focus on offensive and defensive cyberwarfare for years. Currently, cyber operations are led by the Department of Defense’s Cyber Command, which draws on personnel from different branches of the military.
Gerrit De Vynck contributed to this report.
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