U.S. president Donald Trump’s recently unveiled budget proposal shows significant increases in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing R&D.
The Hill reports that, should the proposal get approved, non-defense AI spending would double from $973 million to nearly $2 billion, while quantum information science research would be jacked up by 50% from the year before, “with plans to double investment by 2022.”
In the budget’s forward, Trump wrote that “as we enter the 2020’s,” the United States will face “new challenges and opportunities,” adding that “the 21st century requires us to focus on great power rivals; prioritize artificial intelligence, 5G, and industries of the future; and to protect our research and environment from foreign government influence.”
“Last year, the President committed to investing in the Industries of the Future,” White House chief technology officer Michael Kratsios said in a statement. “Now, he’s delivering on this promise with a historic doubling of AI and quantum R&D investments that will fuel American leadership in these critical technologies for years to come. In the face of intense global competition, the FY 21 Budget affirms the importance of technology leadership to America’s economic strength and national security.”
The increase in AI and quantum computing spending comes amidst China’s push to become the world leader in AI by 2030. The nation has been investing heavily in the industry since it published it’s “Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” in 2017, aiming to have a domestic industry worth $150 billion.
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