Trump Announces 'AI Force' and Plans to Appoint AI Czar

US President Donald Trump has said he will create an "AI Force" to oversee artificial intelligence and intends to appoint an AI "czar" soon, as his administration seeks to keep the United States ahead in the fast-moving technology.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump compared the proposed body to the Space Force, which he set up during his first term. He did not spell out how the AI Force would be structured, who would serve on it, or what legal authority it would hold.

No curbs on growth, focus on harmful use

Trump said his administration would not "hinder or stifle" the growth of the AI industry. He said the government would back and monitor the sector while relying on existing criminal and civil laws to deal with harmful activity.

He said the initiative would focus on identifying what he called "BAD" uses of artificial intelligence, arguing that current legal systems are adequate to address such conduct.

AI as the next Industrial Revolution

Trump described AI as the next "Industrial Revolution, or Internet", saying he expected its economic impact to be even larger. He claimed the technology could eventually account for as much as 25 per cent of US GDP, though he offered no data to support the projection.

He also said the United States currently leads China and other countries in AI and that he intends to hold on to that position.

Czar to be named

Trump said he would announce an AI czar "in the near future" to oversee the new initiative, adding that people with high intelligence should apply. No candidate was named, and it was not specified whether the czar would head a new federal agency, coordinate existing ones, or serve in another capacity.

The White House has not released further details about the proposed AI Force, leaving open whether it would be a new agency, an interagency task force, or another type of federal initiative.

Pushback against calls to slow AI

The announcement follows Trump's repeated criticism of calls to slow AI development and of concerns about the expansion of data centres. Earlier this week, he dismissed what he described as a conspiracy against AI and data centres, arguing that the United States should not impose measures that could slow the industry. He has previously rejected calls for additional federal AI regulations, saying strong presidential leadership was sufficient.

AI in the US-China contest

The move comes as Washington and Beijing prepare to discuss AI during upcoming high-level talks. Both sides see artificial intelligence as strategically important to their economic and military competitiveness, and they remain divided over access to advanced semiconductors, technology transfer, and how AI should be regulated.

Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on September 24, with AI expected to be among the issues on the agenda.