AI
Trump Backs AI Expansion, Appoints "AI Tsar" as Industry Pushes Past Safety Concerns
The president dismissed calls to slow AI development and safety worries as "hoaxes," instead pledging to create a dedicated AI leadership role and foster rapid industry growth.
Ars Technica
President Donald Trump has committed the US to accelerating artificial intelligence development, rejecting mounting concerns about the technology's safety and societal impact. His stance pits him against warnings from prominent technologists who fear uncontrolled AI advancement poses serious risks.
A New AI Leadership Role#
Trump announced plans to establish an "AI Tsar"—a high-level position to oversee the nation's AI strategy—while simultaneously vowing to create an "AI Force." In a Truth Social post, he emphasized that only individuals with exceptional intelligence need apply for the czar role, signaling the importance he places on the appointment.
Growth Over Caution#
Rather than imposing regulations or guardrails, the president framed AI as the cornerstone of America's economic future, comparing it to past transformative innovations. He predicted that artificial intelligence could eventually represent as much as 25 percent of the country's gross domestic product and claimed the US currently leads both China and other global competitors in the field.
Trump indicated that his administration intends to maintain this advantage by removing obstacles to industry expansion. "We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry," he said. "Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!"
Dismissing the Debate#
The president characterized opposition to AI expansion and resistance to data center construction—the energy-intensive infrastructure undergirding the technology—as manufactured political grievances. He grouped criticism of artificial intelligence alongside claims he views as part of a broader liberal agenda, including concerns about climate change and transgender issues.
His comments arrive at a moment when influential figures within the AI sector itself have raised alarms about the pace of development, cautioning that researchers may lose meaningful control over increasingly autonomous systems without deliberate slowdowns and safety measures in place.
