Trump plans ‘AI force’ as pressure for action rises

▪ New AI czar to be named

▪ Outlets sue over White House ban

▪ Trump adds security angle to arch

▪ Russia holds wartime elections

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President Trump is responding to the rising demands to impose guardrails on AI with the creation of an “AI Force,” even as he argues the broader concerns about the technology running rampant are a “hoax.”

The president announced Saturday that he would launch the body, which he compared to the U.S. Space Force created during his first term, but provided few details about its makeup or responsibilities. He said he would also appoint an AI “czar” to oversee the administration’s handling of the developing technology.

This would be the second person to hold that role in the administration, as venture capitalist David Sacks previously served in the position. He stepped down in March.

“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows! However, we will also be looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant also laid the groundwork for more global cooperation on AI in talks with his Chinese counterparts in New York on Sunday, NBC News reported. He told reporters that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would discuss a mechanism for alerting each other of potential national security issues related to AI, as part of ongoing U.S.-China dialogue on the technology.

Trump has shunned calls for regulation of the industry, despite leaders of the country’s powerful frontier AI firms urging the government to take action. Several current and former AI researchers warned earlier this month that out-of-control AI could result in humanity’s destruction in the next decade or even sooner.

Trump has emphasized that the U.S. cannot lose the AI race with China. He said last week that “guardrails” could be put in place, but a “lot of negative forces” are “bringing up things that won’t happen.”

Even as the president announced his moves on AI this weekend, he continued to push back on the backlash, grouping the “decimation” caused by AI as one of several “hoaxes” created by the Democrats, such as his past impeachments and climate change.

But polling has shown concerns about AI has been a rare unifying issue across the political spectrum. One poll from July showed Americans were nearly three times as likely to be concerned as excited about the potential effects of AI, with Democrats and Republicans providing similar results.

A Politico poll released Wednesday showed almost two-thirds of Americans believe AI poses at least a “moderate” risk of destroying humanity, including a majority of respondents who voted for Trump and a majority who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

Trump seemed to acknowledge the unease with a poll of his followers on Truth Social earlier on Saturday about finding a new name for AI, reasoning that “the words ‘artificial intelligence’ are inaccurate.” He pitched “Superior Intelligence,” “Extreme Intelligence” and “Supreme Intelligence” as possible alternatives.

The president’s critics have been eager to pounce on his approach to the technology.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) cast doubt on the effectiveness of Trump’s AI force during an appearance on CBS News’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

“I mean, I don’t know what President Trump’s vision is, I don’t know if he’s using AI in an offensive capability, which would give me a lot of pause,” Khanna said.

The congressman added that an AI agency similar to the Food and Drug Administration needs to be set up.

Former President Obama also slammed Trump’s approach during a Friday interview at Colgate University. He noted Trump’s remark that AI regulations are for “losers.”

“So we’ve got a gap of at least a couple of years where things are moving really fast, and we have an administration that is not capable of or willing to — I would argue both — putting together a serious regulatory framework,” he said.

The focus on AI will be a backdrop of Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s trip to the U.S. this week, The Hill’s Laura........

© The Hill