President Trump announces plans for new 'AI Force' military unit and AI Czar position, prioritizing rapid US AI development and China competition.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to form an "AI force" and appoint an "AI Czar" to oversee the technology sector amid growing concerns about AI risks. In a lengthy September 19 post on Truth Social, Trump compared the initiative to the creation of the U.S. Space Force, which he formed during his first term. Notably, he clarified that the new unit will not be used to restrict tech companies. "We will not in any way hinder or stifle the growth" of the AI industry, Trump stated, adding that his administration will instead "cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows." The president provided no further details on implementation—an announcement that reportedly surprised both the White House and the tech industry.

The announcement comes amid growing pressure on U.S. lawmakers to implement AI safeguards to address the technology's risks. Calls for guardrails intensified last week after an ex-OpenAI researcher resigned from Anthropic, citing concerns that AI companies weren't taking AI safety seriously enough. He warned that "people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade," accusing companies of gambling with human lives. A safety researcher at Anthropic also warned that there was more than a 10% chance that AI would kill us all by 2030.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, backed by executives from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Microsoft, published an essay urging Washington to pace AI development. He warned of potential AI-powered botnet swarms that could take over the entire internet, with AI agents spiraling out of human control.

Trump has dismissed such safety concerns as hoaxes, claiming a "sick conspiracy" is underway to undermine AI. He has framed AI as transformational: "AI is the next Industrial Revolution, or Internet, but will be even larger and more impactful, possibly as much as 25% of our Country's GDP." His administration intends to maintain America's technological lead over China. "We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!" he wrote on social media.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has adopted a similar stance, dismissing calls for new regulations. "We should go as fast as we can, irrespective of anyone else," Huang stated, claiming there was a "0% chance" AI will destroy the world by 2030.

Trump provided no details on how the AI force will operate or who will serve as AI Czar. However, several reports point to venture capitalist David Sacks, who served as Trump's AI and cryptocurrency czar until March, as a potential candidate.

The AI regulation conversation is expected to feature prominently in high-level gatherings in the coming weeks, including a U.N. event on AI hosted by the Trump administration. A state dinner at the White House, coinciding with Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, will be attended by OpenAI's Sam Altman, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Google's Sundar Pichai.