Trump Announces Plan for 'AI Force' and New Czar Amid Growing Calls for Regulation

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he plans to establish an "AI Force" and appoint an AI czar as the government faces increasing pressure to implement guardrails for artificial intelligence development.

Writing on Truth Social, the president reiterated his view that concerns regarding AI are a hoax, while also indicating that the existing criminal and civil justice system could easily handle potential misuse of the technology.

“For this purpose, I am forming the AI Force, much like I did Space Force, which has been a tremendous SUCCESS, in my First Term. To that end, I will be announcing, in the near future, the AI ‘Czar’ — Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!” Trump stated in the post.

CNN reached out to the White House for further details regarding the duties of the AI czar, potential candidates, and whether the "AI Force" will function as a military branch akin to the Space Force, which was created by Trump in 2019 as the first new U.S. military service since 1947.

The announcement arrives as both the White House and Congress face heightened pressure to enact AI safeguards. Trump dismissed these concerns as a "SICK conspiracy" aimed at undermining the technology.

“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” Trump wrote. “We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!”

For Trump, maintaining a lead over China and preserving economic gains driven by AI take precedence over addressing public anxieties. The rapid growth of AI has generated significant stock market gains and supported the manufacturing sector through data center construction, which Trump described as "the golden goose." However, public sentiment has soured due to fears over potential job losses and the environmental impact of data centers on local communities.

Democrats have been more vocal in advocating for slower AI development. Former President Barack Obama encouraged potential Democratic presidential candidates to prioritize AI in their 2028 agendas during a speech at Colgate University.

“My view this week has been it is good that some of the leading companies have said we need to slow this down, and we should encourage that,” Obama said.

Previously, venture capitalist David Sacks served as Trump’s AI and cryptocurrency czar until March, stepping down after reaching his term limit as a special government employee. Sacks now chairs the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Discussions regarding AI regulation are expected to feature prominently in upcoming diplomatic events. The Trump administration will host a high-level event on AI during the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, and technology executives including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and Google’s Sundar Pichai are scheduled to attend a White House state dinner amid Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington.