Trump announces AI task force and plans to appoint an AI czar

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that his administration will establish an artificial-intelligence task force and appoint a senior official, referred to as an AI czar, to oversee the technology. The initiative was presented as a way to foster industry development while using existing criminal and civil justice mechanisms to address potential misuse.

"We will not in any way hinder or stifle the growth of this industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it as it grows," Trump wrote on his social-media platform.

He likened the new AI Force to the previously created Space Force and said the role would be open only to “high-I.Q. individuals,” though no candidate has been named. Trump dismissed recent warnings from AI researchers as a “hoax” and reiterated that the United States must lead in AI development to outpace China.

Lawmakers have been debating AI regulation, with Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton warning that Congress may have only a year to act. State officials, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, have also called for greater oversight, and Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger launched a state AI task force.

The White House has not provided further details about the structure or timeline of the proposed AI task force.