US President Donald Trump has declared that whoever wins the race for artificial intelligence will have a decisive advantage, claiming the United States is currently leading China “by a lot.”
Trump made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing world leaders at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he devoted part of his speech to the growing global competition over artificial intelligence.
“Whoever wins AI, you have to remember this, and now I say, whoever wins SI, whoever wins super intelligence wins. That’s the group that wins.”
He said the United States was currently ahead of China and other countries in the development of the technology. “And we’re leading now over China by a lot and everyone else. We’re going to keep it that way.”
Trump said he would not support policies that stifle the development of artificial intelligence, arguing that the technology could become larger in impact than previous technological transformations. “I’m not going to stifle growth of something that will be bigger than the industrial revolution,” he said, adding that some people believed it could become more significant than the internet.
Trump also announced that his administration would refer to artificial intelligence as “super intelligence”, arguing that the term was more accurate because the technology was not fake. “From this point forward, all of the United States documents and all of the world’s will be changed to use a much more accurate term, super as opposed to artificial. So it’s super intelligence.”
He acknowledged that the technology presented challenges but rejected warnings that artificial intelligence could cause catastrophic consequences. “Every major new technology brings challenges. Super intelligence is no exception.”
He compared current warnings about AI to previous predictions about climate change and other issues, saying some of the same people who had warned about catastrophic climate consequences were now warning that artificial intelligence and robots could pose an existential threat.
Trump said the US would encourage the development of super intelligence while monitoring its use through government institutions. “We will only encourage super intelligence. We’re going to encourage it. We’re going to watch it closely through the Department of Justice.”
He added that the United States was determined to maintain its position in the technology sector. “The United States leads the world in super intelligence and will continue to do so safely and responsibly.”
His comments come as the United States and China compete for technological leadership in artificial intelligence, with both countries investing heavily in advanced computing, data infrastructure and AI development.
Trump also used his UN address to discuss conflicts, US foreign policy, immigration, the United Nations and his administration’s approach to international affairs.
On Gaza, Trump claimed that his administration had helped end the war and secure the return of all remaining hostages, while praising the UN Security Council for endorsing his 20-point Gaza peace plan.
He also said his administration had helped settle eight wars since he took office and expressed confidence that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could also be resolved. “We’re working very closely with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. We will get that one done. It’s going to happen, I think, more quickly than people think.”
Trump also defended his administration’s approach to national security and immigration, including its actions against drug cartels and its opposition to illegal immigration.
Returning to artificial intelligence, he said the US should approach the technology with confidence while ensuring that its development remained subject to oversight.
“Americans have never been a nation that retreats from a frontier or shrinks from a challenge, no matter how great or how daunting that challenge may be,” Trump said.
He ended his address by calling on nations to pursue stronger economies, peace and security through what he described as bold action.
Erizia Rubyjeana
Follow us on:
