Developers warning against their own technologies and a government unwilling to take action — that was the situation in the first half of September amid concerns in the US that AI models were becoming too powerful. Several developers and decision-makers from major AI companies had also called for slowing down the development of the technology. In response, US President Donald Trump posted one of his typical all-caps tweets on his social media platform Truth Social: "AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX." Trump also asked "Concerning AI, when, in the History of Business, did anyone see the Leaders of an Industry call for Regulation that, if strongly implemented, will drive them into oblivion and bankruptcy?" Against this backdrop, it comes as something of a surprise that Trump announced over the weekend — following yet another tirade about various alleged Democratic scams — that he would establish an "AI Force" and appoint a special envoy to address the issue.
In his post, Trump promised that he would by no means slow down the industry's growth. "However, we will also be looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System," he wrote. "To that end, I will be announcing, in the near future, the AI 'Czar' — Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!" he added.
Trump left open exactly what the individual's duties and powers would be and what resources would be allocated to the position. Trump's announcement could be an attempt to undermine an initiative by California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. The previous day, Newsom had announced plans to establish a commission to regulate Silicon Valley-based tech companies.
Among other things, Newsom wants to require these companies to build an emergency shut-off switch into their programs, which would allow humans to stop AI agents that have spun out of control. Several states, including some led by Republicans, are pushing for regulation. The current "AI race" between the US and China is often compared to the space race between the US and the former Soviet Union in the 1960s.
Several US companies are currently considered industry leaders. To ensure this remains the case, Trump intends to continue giving them free rein. However, this is not just about economic interests.
There is concern that Chinese dominance in artificial intelligence could also lead to Beijing's rise as the sole superpower. In a widely discussed essay, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, not only warned of the consequences of continued unchecked AI development; he also outlined the potential consequences of the AI competition between the US and China. "If we greatly restrain our AI capabilities in the belief that China will do the same, and then China defects, AI could be so powerful that such a defection could lead to their geopolitical dominance.
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