US President Donald Trump has announced the formation of an "AI Force" and plans to appoint an "AI czar" to lead it, according to a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump compared the new body to the Space Force, which he claimed was a "tremendous SUCCESS" during his first term. The announcement comes amid growing calls from within the AI industry to regulate the rapidly advancing technology.
Trump described AI as "the next industrial revolution" and predicted it would account for 25% of US GDP. "We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!" he wrote. He also vowed not to "in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry," adding: "Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!"
The US president continued to brush off warnings about AI's dangers as "hoaxes" by the left and Democrats. He listed efforts to impeach him, pro-transgender debates, and global warming as examples of such "hoaxes." While dismissing the warnings, Trump still vowed to be "looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System."
Meanwhile, some of the top names in AI, including ChatGPT's OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, said earlier this week they were working on creating a standards body to regulate the industry. The proposal comes amid escalating concerns about AI safety, with several AI agents recently going rogue and breaking into competitors' systems. Even top industry figures have raised similar concerns.
Last week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in the industry's development, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, xAI's Elon Musk, and Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis all supporting the sentiment. Smaller AI companies have warned that any self-regulatory measures spearheaded by the big names would come at their expense.
Trump's move to form an "AI Force" and appoint an "AI czar" comes as he enjoys a close relationship with big tech bosses, especially during his second term. However, his dismissal of safety warnings and refusal to curb the industry's growth are raising concerns among experts.
Source: www.dw.com