President Trump has proposed creating an AI task force, similar to the Space Force. But he has not offered other details about what that would be like. Tech industry experts are scratching their heads.
Transcription
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
In another of his Truth Social posts over the weekend, the president said he will create an AI Force. He said this would be a government body and that he would appoint an AI czar to monitor the industry. NPR’s Bobby Allyn reports on the tech industry’s reaction.
BOBBY ALLYN, BYLINE: The post flew quickly through Silicon Valley. And that’s because the tech industry wasn’t expecting it and many were trying to understand how it could work. President Trump compared this AI Force to his Space Force, a military branch established by Congress in his first term. But exactly what it would look like, what kind of powers it would have and whether it would need congressional approval were left unanswered. Michael Kratsios, the White House’s top science and technology adviser, said on Fox News that Trump’s formation of an AI Force is not a concession to those who have expressed concerns about the dangers of AI.
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MICHAEL KRATSIOS: I think what you’re describing is how important it is that we as an administration coordinate to make sure that this great technological innovation that is transforming the country, that is driving economic growth, continues to do so.
ALLYN: Trump’s advisers are divided on AI regulation. One side has been concerned about how the powerful technology could lead to massive job losses and more cases of rogue AI. The other side maintains that fears have been exaggerated and that the United States should allow AI to develop without restrictions so that China does not win the AI race. Taylor Barkley says Trump’s announcement shows Trump supports the light regulation camp. Barkley heads the Abundance Institute, an advocacy group that pushes for lightweight approaches to AI. He says Trump is responding to recent developments, including AI agents autonomously hacking companies and former AI employees warning about the dangers of AI.
TAYLOR BARKLEY: I think it’s been filled with a lot of doom and gloom, talking heads talking about the downsides and catastrophic risks of AI and wanting to do something decisive and send a positive message of their own.
ALLYN: In his post, Trump said fears surrounding AI are a hoax, adding that his administration will not “hinder or stifle the growth of this incredible industry.”
Bobby Allyn, NPR News.
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