Trump announces AI ‘task force’ and doubles down on minimal regulation despite industry and public warnings

On Saturday, 19th, the President of the United States announced the creation of a new government agency inspired by the Space Force, and promised to appoint an AI ‘czar’ soon. According to Axios, the announcement did not provide details on the new entity’s functions, budget, or administrative position.

The initiative reinforces Trump’s strategy of keeping regulation to a minimum, even as top industry executives call for stricter rules and public concern about AI risks reaches record levels.

Recently, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay arguing that companies should slow down the development of the most advanced models in order to better assess risks. The proposal was endorsed by Sam Altman of OpenAI, Elon Musk of xAI, and Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind, and sparked discussions among competitors about a possible joint slowdown.

Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned from his position, arguing that the industry “is gambling with our lives” in the race for superintelligence. Another researcher, Evan Hubinger, said there is more than a 10% chance that AI will destroy humanity within a decade.

Trump, on the other hand, has publicly criticized Amodei, calling existential fears about AI a “hoax.” He argues that the only safeguard needed is a “strong and intelligent” president. The president also declared that the government “will not in any way hinder or stifle” the growth of AI, and that it will use existing criminal and civil laws to curb inappropriate behavior.

The relationship with Anthropic has been troubled before. The company demanded restrictions on the military use of its systems, and two of its models were suspended by order of the U.S. government for national security reasons.

AI czar position has been vacant since March

The position of AI and cryptocurrency czar was left vacant by David Sacks in March. Although Sacks remains influential as co-chair of the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the White House did not plan to fill the vacancy until recently, which shows a change in political pressure.

Public opinion shows resistance

A New York Times poll conducted with the Siena Institute among 1,503 likely voters showed that 61% oppose the construction of data centers for AI, including 47% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats. The opposition also has concrete reasons: the cost of electricity in the largest U.S. electricity market has reached record levels due to demand from data centers, putting pressure on the bills of millions of consumers.

Surveys by AP-NORC and Politico revealed, respectively, that 53% of Americans are very concerned about the environmental impact of AI, and that 63% see at least a moderate risk that advanced AI could destroy humanity.

Democrats advocate for greater control

While Trump advocates for no regulation, Democrats have proposed tougher measures. Senator Bernie Sanders wants to halt the development of advanced AI and permanently ban superintelligence. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls for stricter safety standards, public oversight, and warns that the government should not bail out large technology companies if the “AI bubble” bursts.