President Donald Trump says he will create an “AI Force” and appoint an AI czar while calling alignment fears a “hoax” as industry leaders urge restraint.
Trump announced the proposed force Saturday and said he would name its leader in the “near future.” He compared the idea to the creation of Space Force.
The plan pairs a new AI czar with a specialized force. But Trump also argues that existing criminal and civil laws can address the technology’s harmful uses.
Trump dismissed fears about AI alignment, the effort to keep artificial intelligence acting as humans intend. He also pledged that the government would not hinder the industry’s growth.
His position conflicts with recent calls from two major AI executives for a slower pace. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urged a slowdown, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said his company would welcome one.
As ABC News reported, Trump described how his administration would approach the technology’s dangerous side:
“We will also be looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System”
That approach would rely first on laws and enforcement tools already on the books. It also fits Trump’s promise to support AI development rather than slow it through sweeping new restrictions.
The unanswered question is what the proposed force would add. Trump did not specify its duties, its parent agency or the legal authority that would create it.
He also did not identify his choice for AI czar or give a firm appointment date. The White House did not immediately answer a request for more details.
Space Force offers a powerful name, but its creation required an act of Congress in 2020. It became the sixth branch of the armed forces under the Department of Defense.
If Trump intends the AI Force to become another military branch, Congress would need to act again. His announcement did not say whether the comparison concerned legal structure, mission or branding.
A nonmilitary force could take a different form, but Trump did not say which department would oversee it. That missing detail matters because authority determines who makes rules and who answers for failure.
David Sacks, co-chair of Trump’s science and technology council, also argued against assuming that Washington needs another layer of regulation. Sacks previously served as the White House AI and crypto czar before stepping down in March.
At a Politico conference Wednesday, Sacks said existing laws and federal agencies already cover artificial intelligence. His argument places the burden on government to use its current powers before demanding more.
Amodei and Altman have taken a more cautious line. Amodei called for slower AI development, and Altman warned against capabilities advancing faster than alignment and monitoring efforts.
Trump’s proposal tries to hold both positions at once: protect a fast-growing industry while watching for unlawful conduct. The test will be whether the AI Force receives a clear mission and real authority.
Innovation needs room to grow, but government must still define who is accountable when harm occurs. Clear authority beats vague promises every time.
