Trump seeks AI emphasis

NEW YORK — President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize research and development in artificial intelligence.

The plan, called the American AI Initiative, comes after China and other countries have pledged big investments to advance and apply AI technology in fields ranging from warfighting to health care.

The White House plan doesn’t include any funding details. The administration says it’s up to Congress to appropriate money.

The order directs federal agencies to make government data and computing resources more available to artificial intelligence experts while maintaining security and confidentiality. It also says federal agencies will establish guidance to ensure the new technologies are developed in a safe, trustworthy way.

The initiative calls on federal agencies to help workers gain relevant skills through fellowships, apprenticeships, training programs and computer science education.

Tech leaders have pushed the Trump administration to develop a national AI strategy. The White House in December hosted a listening session with the CEOS of Google, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and Qualcomm to field ideas for securing American dominance in AI and other fields such as quantum computing and faster wireless technology known as 5G.

Kate Crawford, a codirector of New York University’s AI Now Institute for studying the social implications of artificial intelligence, said the directive takes some steps in the right direction but is too light on details.