U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to create a separate structure for artificial intelligence modeled after the Space Force. The sector will also be overseen by a new adviser. The politician wants to allow the technology to develop freely and preserve the United States’ lead over China. How exactly this will work has not yet been explained.
A Quarter of the Economy
Donald Trump announced his plans on Saturday, September 19, on the social network Truth Social. He placed artificial intelligence alongside the Industrial Revolution and the emergence of the internet, as Fox 5 DC reports. In the future, according to the politician, the industry could account for as much as 25% of the country’s gross domestic product. At current prices, that would amount to roughly $7.7 trillion a year, because according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the country’s GDP reached nearly $31 trillion in 2025.
The president referred to the new structure as the AI Force and compared it with the Space Force, which was created during his first term. In Washington, the adviser position is informally referred to as an AI “czar.” Donald Trump promised to announce the name of the selected candidate in the near future and said that only people with a high IQ should apply.
Oversight Without New Restrictions
No tougher requirements for developers are planned. “We will in no way restrain or choke off the growth of this incredible industry,” Donald Trump wrote. Instead, he promised that the government would nurture the industry and help it develop.
According to the post, bad actors in the market would be dealt with through the existing criminal and civil justice system. The president provided no details about how either initiative would operate, Reuters notes. It is also unknown who will lead the AI Force itself.
The predecessor of the future adviser was venture capitalist David Sacks, who left the position in the spring and became an outside consultant. He also considers additional federal regulation unnecessary. Last Wednesday, at an event organized by Politico, David Sacks said that product safety should be guaranteed by developers themselves, and that if problems arise, companies could face legal liability.
Lessons from the Space Force
The new structure is unlikely to appear with a single stroke of the pen, because creating it will most likely require legislation. The Space Force, with which the president compares the AI Force, was officially established on December 20, 2019, when he signed the defense budget previously approved by both chambers of Congress. Before that, the last time the United States created a new branch of the armed forces was in 1947, when the Air Force was established.
The post does not make clear whether the AI Force is intended to be a military organization or a civilian agency. Even in the latter case, however, it would be difficult to proceed without Congress, which approves funding.
The Race with China
The post appeared several days before Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, scheduled for Thursday, September 24. Both countries are competing for leadership in AI because they view it as a foundation of economic and military power.
On Sunday, September 20, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was scheduled to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York. The two sides planned to discuss AI safety, trade, and other economic issues.
Meanwhile, concern over the risks of artificial intelligence is growing among U.S. lawmakers. Donald Trump and technology companies argue that excessive regulation would slow the United States in its competition with Beijing. Supporters of safer AI development often disagree with that position.
