Hajra Naz
President Donald Trump has responded to the recent debate around AI safety. His response follows a familiar pattern. He declared these concerns are part of a long line of hoaxes. According to Trump, they’re “generated by the Radical Left Dumocrats, for purposes of destroying our Country.”
On Saturday, Trump began his thoughts on AI through a social media post. He wrote on Truth Social that many people think the term “Artificial Intelligence” sounds inaccurate. He called it “very ineloquent” relative to what AI actually represents. He then posted a poll for his followers. They could vote on a new name for the technology. Options included “Superior Intelligence,” “Extreme Intelligence,” or “Supreme Intelligence.” As of publication, this poll remains ongoing.
A couple hours later, Trump posted a follow-up message. He claimed that attempts at “the decimation, or destruction, of AI” represent one of many Democratic hoaxes. He compared it to previous controversies. That includes “RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, UKRAINE, UKRAINE, UKRAINE, Global Warming, Impeachment Hoax #1, Impeachment Hoax #2, Men in Women’s Sports, [and] Transgender for Everyone.”
Trump then insisted he “will not stand by and let this happen.” He added that this alleged hoax “began with an attack on our Data Centers, until people realized how wealthy and prestigious they were for the Communities in which they were built.” According to Trump, “the crazed Data Center attack has largely failed” since then. As a result, he claims critics are now “going straight at AI” instead.
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Trump did not provide evidence supporting his specific claim. He suggested that widespread suspicion of AI and data centers isn’t organic or sincere. Notably, both Republicans and Democrats have raised concerns about data centers. New York recently became the first state to halt permits for large data center projects.
The president’s post also echoed earlier comments he made. That happened at a golf tournament last weekend. At the time, he said he’s open to “guardrails” around AI. Still, he also argued, “I think you have a lot of negative forces that are bringing it up that shouldn’t be bringing it up.”
On Saturday, Trump continued his remarks further. He said he will “cherish [the AI industry,] help it, and watch over it, as it grows.” At the same time, he announced plans for something new. He’s forming an AI Force, similar to the Space Force he established during his first term.
“To that end, I will be announcing, in the near future, the AI ‘Czar’ — Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!” he added.
The president did not specify what duties the AI Force and AI czar would handle. Venture capitalist David Sacks previously held a related role. He stepped down as Trump’s AI and crypto czar earlier this year. Since then, he’s moved on to co-chair the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
This broader AI safety debate has intensified recently. An AI researcher announced he was quitting Anthropic over specific concerns. He warned that leading AI companies “earnestly believe it could kill us all by the end of the decade.” He also said these companies are “gambling with our lives.”
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Following this, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei released a plan. It aimed to help “pace the frontier” of AI development. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk both seemingly endorsed this plan. Still, critics of the AI industry have pushed back on this framing. They’ve suggested these existential threat concerns may distract from AI’s more immediate harms.
Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang addressed this topic publicly too. He called Trump on stage during the All-In Summit. Notably, Sacks co-hosts this event. Huang agreed with the president’s characterization. He called the AI backlash a “hoax” too. He insisted, “We’re not going to let a slowdown happen.
