In a moment that may define the arc of American technological ambition, President Trump announced the creation of an 'AI Force' and declared existential fears about artificial intelligence a hoax — positioning the technology not as a risk to be managed, but as a frontier to be conquered. The administration's wager is that acceleration, not caution, is the wiser bet, and that existing laws are sufficient to catch whatever falls through the cracks. Yet some of the most credible voices in AI research argue that this confidence mistakes speed for wisdom, and that the systems being built may not wa
Trump Forms 'AI Force,' Dismisses Existential Risk Concerns as 'Hoax'
We will cherish it, help it, and watch over it as it grows
Mark
So Trump is saying AI existential risk is a hoax. What does he actually mean by that?
Mimi
He's rejecting the idea that AI could develop into something superintelligent and uncontrollable that poses a threat to humanity. He's saying the fears are overblown, and that we should focus on growth instead.
Luke
But who's actually making that claim? Coxon and Amodei are real researchers, but are they saying AI will definitely become superintelligent, or that it could?
Mimi
They're saying it could, and that the risk is real enough to warrant caution. Amodei specifically said the industry has lied about the risks.
Mark
And Trump thinks existing law is enough to handle problems?
Mimi
That's his argument. He says the criminal and civil justice system can police bad actors without needing new AI-specific rules.
Luke
That's a pretty big assumption. How would the justice system catch something if it goes wrong at scale? And what does "bad" even mean in this context?
Mimi
Those are exactly the questions the researchers are raising. They want guardrails built in before systems get too powerful.
Mark
So this is really about speed versus caution.
Mimi
Exactly. Trump wants to accelerate. The researchers want to slow down and think about what could go wrong.
Luke
And we don't actually know yet which approach prevents more harm, do we?
Mimi
No. That's the real unknown underneath all of this.
Der Puls
- Trump declared AI existential risk a 'hoax' on Truth Social, framing the technology as a potential engine worth 25% of U.S. GDP — not a threat to be feared, but a fortune to be seized.
- The announcement of an 'AI Force' and a forthcoming 'AI Czar' signals the administration is treating artificial intelligence as a strategic domain, much like space, requiring dedicated institutional muscle.
- By rejecting new regulation and relying solely on existing criminal and civil law, the White House is betting that reactive oversight can contain a technology that researchers warn may outpace any human response.
- Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei and former researcher Jacob Coxon are sounding alarms that the industry — including their own — is moving recklessly toward self-improving systems, directly contradicting the administration's dismissiveness.
- The fault line is now visible: one side sees a race to be won, the other sees a threshold not to be crossed — and the gap between them is widening as development accelerates.
In a moment that may define the arc of American technological ambition, President Trump announced the creation of an 'AI Force' and declared existential fears about artificial intelligence a hoax — positioning the technology not as a risk to be managed, but as a frontier to be conquered. The administration's wager is that acceleration, not caution, is the wiser bet, and that existing laws are sufficient to catch whatever falls through the cracks. Yet some of the most credible voices in AI research argue that this confidence mistakes speed for wisdom, and that the systems being built may not wait for the law to catch up.
President Trump announced the formation of an 'AI Force' on Saturday, dismissing warnings about superintelligence as a hoax and pledging that his administration would accelerate AI development without regulatory interference. Writing on Truth Social, he framed artificial intelligence as potentially the most transformative technology since the Industrial Revolution, estimating it could one day represent 25 percent of U.S. GDP. The announcement drew a deliberate parallel to his creation of the Space Force, casting AI as a new strategic frontier rather than a source of existential concern.
The administration plans to appoint an 'AI Czar' to coordinate its approach. David Sacks previously held that role, appointed in December 2024 before stepping down in March 2026. During his tenure, Sacks echoed the White House's skepticism, arguing that while some caution is reasonable, fears about AI threatening humanity are overblown and should not slow the industry's momentum.
That position puts the administration in direct conflict with leading voices in AI research. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has told CBS News that the industry has deliberately understated the genuine dangers of advanced AI systems and called for regulatory intervention. Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon went further, warning in early September that both Anthropic and OpenAI are developing self-improving systems recklessly.
At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental question about timing and control. The administration believes existing law is adequate to address harms as they arise, and that the priority must be growth. Researchers warning of existential risk argue that reactive oversight is insufficient when the systems in question may become too powerful to constrain after the fact. Trump's characterization of those warnings as a hoax suggests the administration has little interest in revisiting that calculus.
President Trump announced the formation of an "AI Force" on Saturday, positioning artificial intelligence as the engine of American economic growth while dismissing warnings about existential risk as unfounded. In a post on Truth Social, he called fears that AI could develop into a superintelligence capable of threatening human existence a hoax. The move signals a sharp pivot toward accelerating AI development with minimal regulatory friction, relying instead on existing criminal and civil law to police bad actors.
Trump framed AI as potentially the most transformative technology since the Industrial Revolution or the internet, estimating it could eventually account for as much as 25 percent of the country's gross domestic product. He pledged that his administration would "cherish" and "help" the industry as it grows, drawing a parallel to his creation of the Space Force during his first term. "We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry," he wrote, adding that the justice system already provides adequate safeguards against misuse.
The announcement includes plans to appoint an "AI Czar" to oversee the government's approach to the technology. David Sacks previously held that title, appointed in December 2024 as the White House AI and Crypto Czar. Sacks stepped down from the role in March 2026 after his tenure as a special government employee concluded. In interviews before his departure, Sacks echoed the administration's skepticism about AI safety concerns, arguing that while some caution is warranted, fears about the technology's potential to harm humanity are exaggerated and should not slow development.
This stance puts the administration at odds with prominent voices in the AI research community. Jacob Coxon, a former researcher at Anthropic, warned in early September that both Anthropic and OpenAI are moving recklessly by developing self-improving systems they describe as superintelligence. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has been more direct in his criticism, telling CBS News that the industry has deliberately misled the public about the genuine dangers posed by advanced AI systems. Amodei has also called for regulatory intervention, a position that stands in sharp contrast to the Trump administration's deregulatory approach.
The tension reflects a fundamental disagreement about how to manage AI's development. The administration's position assumes that existing legal frameworks are sufficient to address harms as they emerge, and that accelerating progress should be the priority. The researchers and executives warning about existential risk argue that the stakes are too high for reactive oversight, and that some forms of development should be constrained before systems become too powerful to control. Trump's dismissal of these concerns as a hoax suggests the administration will not be swayed by such arguments as it moves forward with its AI agenda.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
There are real dangers with AI, and the industry lied to people about the fact that this technology had risks.— Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, to CBS News
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