Trump launches AI task force as data center concern grows
President Trump has created a 120-day task force to study the risks and opportunities of advanced artificial intelligence. The report also examines growing community opposition to AI-focused data centers, with residents citing pollution, energy use and neighborhood impacts.
President Donald Trump has launched a 120-day task force to assess the risks and opportunities associated with advanced artificial intelligence. The group is led by National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton and includes officials from the Pentagon, Federal Trade Commission and Office of Personnel Management. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration is weighing how to address both the potential benefits of superintelligence and efforts to regulate its risks.
The report also highlights nationwide concerns about the data centers being built to support AI systems. Eric Maniset, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said larger facilities are being built closer to communities and increasingly rely on on-site power generation that can create local pollution. As protests and opposition continue, New Jersey state Sen. Joseph Cryion called for data center siting decisions to be handled through a statewide plan and approval process.