Trump says he’s setting up new ‘AI force’ to track ‘bad’ parts
US President Donald Trump has announced he is creating a new “AI Force” to monitor the evolving technology with an “AI Czar” to run it.
His announcement on Saturday (Sunday AEST) came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held talks with technology executives in California about the need for AI regulation.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly downplayed concerns about AI and argued that additional regulation is unnecessary. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Writing on Truth Social, the president repeated his view about AI concerns were a “hoax”, but signalled the technology has some risks, writing his administration would be looking out for the “bad” aspects.
“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 said in the post.
Trump gave no other details, including whether his planned new force would be part of the military, like Space Force.
The Trump administration is under pressure to impose AI safeguards, but the president has downplayed concerns, claiming that a “SICK conspiracy” was underway to undermine AI.
The president has said staying ahead of China, whose president he will host in Washington DC this week, is crucial.
“We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!” he wrote in his post.
Shortly after the president’s announcement, Albanese, speaking with the ABC, was asked about Trump’s policy on AI, and if it ignored the concerns of other nations, such as Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a demonstration of Apple’s new child safety features at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. (Photo: Dominic Lorrimer)
“Well, President Trump, of course, will act in the interests of the US, but also there’s a need for all of us to act in the interests of humanity … I think President Trump knows that at the moment the US is essentially ahead of China when it comes to the race that is on for the development of this new technology,” said Albanese.
“But it is in the world’s interests that there be engagement.”
Albanese met Cook at the Apple headquarters in Cupertino, and said the former company boss was impressed with Australia’s social media laws.
“He regards the work that we’ve done on social media to be world-leading,” Albanese told the ABC.
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