Donald Trump Considers Appointing an ‘A.I. Czar’: What to Know

Recent developments indicate that President-elect Donald Trump is considering appointing an “A.I. czar” to manage the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence policy. While the details of this position remain vague, it is anticipated that the czar will significantly impact how governmental bodies adopt A.I. technologies and work in tandem with chief A.I. officers across various federal agencies, in accordance with President Joe Biden’s A.I. executive order.

The urgency for such a role is amplified by the intensifying rivalry with China, which aims to dominate the global A.I. sector by 2030 and has been making substantial investments in innovation and infrastructure. Although the U.S. currently leads in A.I. research and funding, there are challenges ahead in maintaining this edge. Appointing a dedicated figure to oversee A.I. initiatives could bolster the nation’s position in the international A.I. competition.

Speculation is rife that Elon Musk, chosen by the President-elect to head the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), might play a crucial role in selecting the A.I. czar and shaping its agenda. The mission of DOGE is to reduce the national debt by cutting government spending, and the A.I. czar is likely to work closely with the department to support these objectives.

However, critics voice concerns about Musk’s dual role as an industry leader and policymaker, arguing it could lead to favoritism towards his A.I. startup, xAI, at the expense of rivals such as OpenAI.

Hamid Ekbia, a professor specializing in the political economy of computing and A.I. at Syracuse University, warns that Musk’s potential conflicts of interest might allow xAI to gain a competitive edge over other companies with different approaches and philosophies.

Conversely, supporters believe Musk’s involvement in the A.I. czar position could positively impact the tech sector. The bipartisan nonprofit group, Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), has initiated a petition urging Trump to designate Musk as a special advisor on A.I., a role that was created under the Biden administration to tackle the challenges and opportunities posed by A.I. for the nation’s infrastructure.

How will Trump approach A.I. regulation differently from Biden?

Trump has indicated his desire to overturn Biden’s A.I. executive order, enacted in October 2023, contending it stifles innovation and imposes leftist ideologies on technological progress. Nevertheless, he shares Biden’s aspiration to establish America as a leader in the global A.I. arena.

The Trump administration is likely to maintain and possibly enhance restrictions on China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology, building upon the CHIPS Act introduced by Biden in 2022. Additionally, the future of the U.S. AI Safety Institute (AISI), created under Biden’s A.I. executive order to spearhead government initiatives on A.I. safety, remains uncertain. Given DOGE’s focus on trimming federal programs, AISI could be at risk of being dismantled.

According to Dave Maher, CTO of the data interoperability platform Intertrust and a veteran in secure computing, a less stringent regulatory approach under Trump may ignite innovation but also raise safety issues unless transparency is prioritized to manage risks and avoid overreactions. Maher emphasizes that the real challenge will be overcoming the resistance to transparency from major tech corporations.

Ekbia from Syracuse University predicts that fostering A.I. innovation in today’s monopolistic landscape will be a formidable challenge for the incoming A.I. czar, as large tech companies frequently suppress competition through mergers and patent monopolization. “The A.I. ecosystem is likely to become more rigid, with the potential emergence of new monopolies. This presents both opportunities and challenges for the future A.I. czar,” he remarked.