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Trump signals aggressive stance as US races China in AI development

Technology - Thu, 01/23/2025 - 01:11
Before he had been in office for 48 hours, President Donald Trump sent a clear signal that to outpace China, his administration will be pursuing an aggressive agenda when it comes to pushing the United States forward on the development of artificial intelligence and the infrastructure that powers it. On his first day in office, Trump rescinded an executive order signed in 2023 by former President Joe Biden that sought to place some guardrails around the development of more and more powerful generative AI tools and to create other protections for privacy, civil rights and national security. The following day, Trump met with the leaders of several leading technology firms, including Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI; Larry Ellison, chairman of Oracle; and Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank, to announce a $500 billion private sector investment in AI infrastructure known as Stargate. “Beginning immediately, Stargate will be building the physical and virtual infrastructure to power the next generation of advancements in AI, and this will include the construction of colossal data centers,” Trump said in a media event at the White House on Tuesday. Specifically, Stargate will invest in the creation of as many as 10 huge data centers in the United States that will provide the computing for artificial intelligence systems. The first data center is already under construction in Texas. The massive private sector investment will create up to 100,000 U.S. jobs, the executives said. Keeping AI in the US “What we want to do is, we want to keep it in this country,” Trump said. “China is a competitor, and others are competitors. We want it to be in this country, and we're making it available. I'm going to help a lot through emergency declarations, because we have an emergency. We have to get this stuff built.” The assembled tech leaders took the opportunity to praise the new president. “I think this will be the most important project of this era,” Altman said. “We wouldn’t be able to do this without you, Mr. President.” Janet Egan, a senior fellow in the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security, said that all the signals Trump is sending indicate he is serious about maintaining the United States’ current advantages in the development of advanced AI. “I think this shows that he's going to have a really clear mind as to how to partner closely with the private sector to enable them to speed up and run fast,” Egan said. “We've also seen him take direct action on some of the bottlenecks that are impeding the development of AI infrastructure in the U.S., and a particular focus is energy.” OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has relied on Microsoft data centers for its computing. The firm reportedly discussed with the Biden administration the regulatory hurdles of planning and permitting when building data centers. In a policy paper released earlier this month, OpenAI cited the competition with China, laying out its policy proposals to “extending America’s global leadership in AI innovation.” “Chips, data, energy and talent are the keys to winning on AI — and this is a race America can and must win,” the paper said. “There’s an estimated $175 billion sitting in global funds awaiting investment in AI projects, and if the U.S. doesn’t attract those funds, they will flow to China-backed projects — strengthening the Chinese Communist Party’s global influence.” Patrick Hedger, director of policy at NetChoice, a technology trade association, told VOA that the Stargate announcement “immediately signaled to me that private capital is more than willing to come off the sidelines these days with the new Trump administration.” As part of his flurry of executive actions on Monday, Trump eliminated several preexisting executive orders placing limits on fossil fuel extraction and power generation. In the White House event on Monday, Trump also noted that AI data centers consume vast amounts of electricity and said he would be clearing the way for Stargate and other private companies to invest in new energy generation projects. China competition While Trump eliminated many of Biden’s executive orders immediately on Monday, he does not appear to have taken action against some of the former president’s other AI-related initiatives. Last year, Biden took several steps to restrict China’s access to cutting-edge technology related to AI, specifically, restricting the ability of companies that sell advanced semiconductors and the machinery used to produce them to Chinese firms. On that issue, Egan said, Trump and Biden appear to be on the same page. “I think it's important to also note the continuity in how Trump's approaching AI,” she said. “He, too, sees it as a national security risk and national security imperative. ... So, I think we should expect to see this run-fast approach to AI complemented by continued efforts to understand and manage emerging risks. Particularly cyber, nuclear, biological risks, as well as a more muscular approach to export controls and enforcement.” Speed and safety Louis Rosenberg, CEO and chief scientist at Unanimous AI and a prominent figure in the field for decades, told VOA he thinks there is a bipartisan consensus that AI needs to be developed speedily but also responsibly. “At the highest level, the accelerating risks around frontier AI is not a partisan issue,” he wrote in an email exchange. “Both parties realize that significant safeguards will be needed as AI gets increasingly intelligent and flexible, especially as autonomous AI agents get released at large scale.” Rosenberg said the most significant question is how the U.S. can remain the global leader in AI development while making sure the systems that are deployed are safe and reliable. “I suspect the Trump administration will address AI risks by deploying its own targeted policies that are not as broad as the Biden executive order was but can address real threats much faster,” he wrote. “The Biden executive order was very useful in raising the alarm about AI, but from a practical perspective it did not provide meaningful protections from the important emerging risks. “Ultimately we need to find a way to move fast on AI development and move fast on AI protection. We need speed on both fronts,” Rosenberg said. VOA Silicon Valley bureau chief Michelle Quinn contributed to this report.

US military sends troops to Mexico border amid Trump immigration crackdown

Around The Globe - Thu, 01/23/2025 - 00:47
The deployment is part of Trump's executive action to declare a 'national emergency' at the US's southern border.

Musk clashes with OpenAI’s Altman over $500bn Stargate

Around The Globe - Thu, 01/23/2025 - 00:15
Hours after Trump announced the $500bn plan for Stargate, Musk questioned the value of the investment.

Real Madrid cruise past Salzburg, but Man City hit by PSG turnaround

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 23:53
Holders Real Madrid keep alive automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16, but PSG dent Man City hopes.

Teenager kills female student in Nashville school shooting, US police say

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 22:23
Police say that a 17-year-old student in the southern city of Nashville opened fire in a high school cafeteria.

Syria foreign minister says removing sanctions ‘key’ to restoring stability

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 21:59
Asaad al-Shaibani also says that Syria's new constitution will represent all of the country's communities.

ICC seeks answers after Italy frees Libyan war crimes suspect

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 21:56
The Italian government unexpectedly freed Osama Elmasry Njeem because of a legal technicality.

Trump administration orders ‘immediate pause’ on US health agency reports

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 21:42
Critics fear move could stymie flow of health information, though others say it is normal part of transition process.

Syria’s FM calls on economic sanctions to be lifted for stability

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 21:27
Syria’s foreign minister calls on economic sanctions to be lifted for stability.

Death and displacement from Israeli operation across Jenin

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 21:02
The Israeli military is carrying out a destructive operation across the occupied West Bank’s Jenin.

Trump’s Middle East envoy will enter Gaza as part of ‘inspection team’

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 20:30
Steve Witkoff says he seeks to assure the Gaza ceasefire deal will reach its second phase, despite Trump's doubts.

Irish parliament delays vote for prime minister after speaking rights row

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 19:48
The process of nominating a new prime minister led to widespread disorder and clashes.

Advocates and family react as Trump cancels Afghan refugee resettlement

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 19:38
Afghans, some already approved to arrive in the US, are left in limbo after the president suspends refugee resettlement.

How Trump’s executive orders will roll out — if courts allow them

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 19:38
From Mount Denali to EVs, we break down 26 executive orders US President Donald Trump signed on his inauguration day.

‘The battlefield is about to shift’: West Bank braces for rising violence

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 19:08
As Israel presses ahead with West Bank raid on Jenin, Palestinians fear more attacks from military and settlers.

What does the future of Syria hold after the fall of the Assad regime?

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 19:00
Today on The Stream: We ask Syrians what they think the future holds following the fall of the Assad regime.

Iran says Swiss national who died in custody photographed military sites

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 18:01
Iran's judiciary maintains that the unidentified man died by suicide after being arrested for espionage.

For Trudeau’s successor, safeguarding Canada’s economy a ‘daunting’ task

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 17:42
Domestic pressures and US tariff threat pose major challenges for Justin Trudeau's successor.

Prince Harry settles legal claim against Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspapers

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 17:37
Publisher agrees to pay ‘substantial damages’ to drop long-running legal claims

Palestinian’s last moments before being killed by Israeli forces

Around The Globe - Wed, 01/22/2025 - 17:35
Palestinian Ahmed Obeidi’s family filmed the final moments of his life before he was shot dead.

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