President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order on Monday aimed at spurring the development and regulation of artificial intelligence, the technology that many experts believe will shape the future.
At the White House, Trump signed the order to initiate the program, which aims to boost AI innovation and build a platform to harness government data. AI would be a defining technology of the new century, and America must be at the forefront of it.
The order instructs federal agencies to consolidate their scientific data, share that computing power, and work in a way that has never been done before. Officials stated that the Genesis Mission would serve as a national AI engine, producing breakthroughs in energy, health, materials, and advanced manufacturing.
National labs drive research on AI by the government
At the center of the effort are the Department of Energy’s national laboratories, which are home to the nation’s most powerful supercomputers, and will now serve as the backbone of federal AI development.
The systems will be fed with vast government datasets by the agencies themselves. New and improved AI models will then test these new ideas, run experiments, and help scientists find solutions more quickly than traditional research methods can.
This coordinated process will reduce discovery timelines from years to months, officials said. They believe it could accelerate progress on everything from advanced batteries to new medical treatments.
To boost computing capacity, the Trump administration is partnering with major private-sector companies, including Nvidia, Dell Technologies, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, and AMD. Such firms are supposed to provide the hardware, software, and expertise to extend the capabilities of these labs’ supercomputers.
A senior official described the partnerships as “essential,” stating that AI is rapidly evolving in the private sector at a far faster pace than in government systems. Genesis Mission is working to bridge that divide.
Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said that with more powerful AI tools, the government would be able to conduct scientific research more efficiently, accurately, and productively. He noted that American workers would play a crucial role in building that future, but stressed that the government needed to strengthen and improve programs that help them adjust to the rapid advances. He added that, in his view, America was on the cusp of a new scientific revolution powered by AI.
The growth of AI is accompanied by a significant problem: its substantial energy consumption. Data centers consume massive amounts of power, raising concerns that the rapid expansion of AI could further strain the United States’ electric grid.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright advised people to “just relax” in response to those concerns. He said the Genesis Mission would adopt targets aimed at increasing grid efficiency, expanding the energy supply, and reducing household costs.
The administration hopes to deploy AI to update and harden the grid, streamline energy flows, and reduce waste, Wright said. He said the mission will serve to stabilize electricity prices in the short term and drive them down over time.
The administration also presented the initiative as part of its broader effort to mitigate inflation. Biden officials say that faster scientific breakthroughs will lead to cheaper production, lower energy costs, and lower costs in a myriad of sectors.
Trump seeks to expand federal power over AI rules
The Genesis Mission arrives as the Trump administration pivots toward a tougher stance on regulating AI. The president has repeatedly cautioned against what he has described as “patchwork regulations” being issued by individual states.
Another executive order Trump is working on would enable the Justice Department to sue states where his AI rules conflict with federal policy. The administration has stated that a single national framework is necessary for innovation and security.
Trump has also sought to ease the path for companies to construct data centers and access crucial hardware. Previous orders have aimed to reduce permitting delays and open up new avenues for international collaboration with U.S. allies.
The president has repeatedly cast AI as a matter of geopolitical rivalry. He says the U.S. cannot afford to cede an economic and military edge to China and other adversaries.
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