Trump made the announcement on Saturday as the United States faces growing pressure to introduce regulations governing the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump again dismissed concerns about AI as exaggerated, while acknowledging that certain risks associated with the technology must be addressed.
“We will also look at bad acts, and we can do that quite easily, using our existing criminal and civil justice systems,” Trump wrote.
He added: “For that reason, I am establishing the AI Force, just as I did with Space Force, which accomplished great things during my first term. For that reason, in the coming days I will announce an ‘AI Czar.’ Only people of the highest intelligence should apply!”
Trump established the US Space Force in 2019, making it the first new branch of the American military to be created since 1947.
Trump’s announcement comes amid continued calls for the United States to establish safeguards against the potential harms of artificial intelligence.
The president has repeatedly dismissed such concerns, describing them as unfounded and suggesting that they could be part of an effort to undermine the development of AI.
In his Saturday message, Trump said the United States would not interfere with or halt progress in the sector.
“We will never hinder or stop the development of this extraordinary field. We are ahead of China and the rest of the world, and I want to keep it that way,” he wrote.
Trump has prioritised maintaining US leadership over China in artificial intelligence and securing the economic benefits associated with the technology, rather than responding to calls for a slowdown from AI safety advocates.
Artificial intelligence has increasingly become a subject of political debate in the United States, particularly after technology executives called for a coordinated international effort to slow the pace of AI development.
The Trump administration is expected to organise a high-level AI summit during the United Nations General Assembly, which begins on Wednesday.
The following day, Trump is scheduled to host major technology executives, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
The meeting is expected to take place as part of preparations to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is scheduled to visit the United States, according to a White House official.
The official also said AI safety would be a major issue in discussions between Trump and Xi.
