President Donald Trump on Saturday (Sept 20) voiced strong support for the artificial intelligence sector and data centres, pledging to protect both from any attempts at undermining or dismantling them. He also outlined proposals for a dedicated governmental artificial intelligence unit, while addressing mounting questions about the role of the technology.
Trump characterised critics of AI as seeking to undermine or eliminate the sector, and pledged on his Truth Social account that his administration would take no action to impede or constrain the industry's expansion. He added that the proposed "AI Force" would be responsible for identifying malicious actors, and that the technology would be nurtured and protected as it develops.
He also stated that a dedicated AI coordinator — referred to as a "Czar" — would be named in the near future, though no details about the position were shared.
Trump's recent advocacy for artificial intelligence coincides with growing questions about the expansion of data centres and their substantial energy consumption. Survey data referenced in reports indicate that a majority of the public holds reservations about hosting such installations in their neighbourhoods.
The president has maintained backing for the technology even as certain industry figures have raised concerns about the rate at which AI is advancing and the potential consequences of increasingly capable systems. Jacob Coxon, a former AI researcher who departed from Anthropic, has voiced concerns about the potential hazards posed by the technology. He observed that AI researchers genuinely view the technology as an existential threat within a decade, a view Trump has repeatedly dismissed as unfounded.
Trump also contended that the nation could not afford to fall behind China in the development of artificial intelligence, asserting that the only oversight required was a capable and intelligent president — a role he implied was already filled — while also questioning whether artificial intelligence was an appropriate term for the technology. On Saturday, he put forward three alternative terms via social media: superior intelligence, extreme intelligence, and supreme intelligence.
On September 13, Trump pushed back against proposals to slow the pace of AI development, characterising those who advocate such positions as a negative influence. During a press briefing in Ireland, Trump characterised those raising concerns as a collection of opposing voices, adding that the issues they were highlighting were unlikely to materialise. He also noted that the United States held a lead over China in artificial intelligence, and underlined the need to preserve that position.
The remarks came in response to questions about potential regulatory tightening or a slowdown in the pace of artificial intelligence development. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei outlined a three-pronged framework intended to regulate the speed at which cutting-edge AI systems are developed. He contended that AI systems were gaining the ability to assist in developing more sophisticated models, prompting questions about the pace at which the technology might advance.
