Trump Calls for an “AI Force” and Vows to Appoint an AI Czar

On Saturday the former president took to Truth Social to unveil what he called an “AI Force,” a new governmental outfit that would, in his words, watch over the booming artificial‑intelligence sector. He likened it to the Space Force, bragging that the latter was a “tremendous success” during his first term.

Trump’s post was peppered with the usual swagger: he said the AI Force would “cherish” the industry, help it grow, and—most importantly—avoid any regulations that might “hinder or stifle” progress. According to him, the nation’s existing criminal and civil statutes already cover any misbehaviour by AI companies.

He didn’t stop there. In the same message he promised to name an “AI Czar” soon, inviting “high‑I.Q. individuals” to apply. Trump painted AI as the next industrial revolution, even hinting it could someday account for as much as 25 % of U.S. GDP and keep America ahead of China.

The announcement comes at a time when AI has become a hot‑button issue in Washington and Silicon Valley alike. Tech CEOs—from OpenAI’s Sam Altman to Anthropic’s Dario Amodei—have been urging the government to set tougher safety standards, while Elon Musk has repeatedly warned about the existential risks of unchecked AI development.

Trump’s stance marks a subtle shift from his earlier dismissal of “extra” oversight as a “hoax” and a “sick conspiracy” against AI. Now he’s proposing a new office, yet still insisting that the government’s role should be limited to “watching over” rather than regulating.

John Walsh, CTO for government and critical infrastructure at IGEL, offered a measured take. He said the goal shouldn’t be “regulation for regulation’s sake” but rather the creation of clear standards, testing regimes and certifications that could make trustworthy AI a market advantage. Walsh pointed to the automotive safety model as a blueprint: products get evaluated against internationally recognised criteria, and those standards eventually become de‑facto global requirements.

The broader tech community, however, is pressing for more concrete action. Recent essays from Amodei and statements from Altman and Musk argue that the rapid pace of generative and emerging agentic AI demands a coordinated safety framework—one that goes beyond existing laws.

Lawmakers from both parties have already introduced federal AI bills, and some states are crafting their own rules. Even Senator Bernie Sanders has weighed in, calling for a pause on advanced AI development and a ban on “artificial superintelligence” until safeguards are in place.

So while the AI Force is still a concept on paper, its unveiling has sparked a fresh round of debate about how—or whether—the United States should balance innovation with responsibility in the age of powerful machine learning.