On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order declaring a national energy emergency. The move is aimed at speeding up the approval process for oil, gas and power projects and marks a sharp departure from the policies of his predecessor. The declaration is expected to focus on strengthening America's energy infrastructure, lowering costs for consumers and increasing energy security, according to Axios and Reuters reports. Additionally, energy is considered a national security priority. Especially regarding the perceived “AI Arms Race” with China.
The move underscores Trump's commitment to revitalizing the U.S. fossil fuel industry while reining in renewable energy initiatives championed by the Biden administration. According to White House officials who spoke with the outlet, the plan includes opening up Alaska's vast natural resources for the development and repeal of regulations that promote electric vehicles.
Energy as a key aspect of AI racing
Doug Burgum is Trump's choice for Secretary of the Interior and Director of the National Energy Council. During his Senate confirmation hearing, he emphasized advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and the growing interdependence of energy policy. Burgum warned that without robust and reliable power generation, the United States risks falling behind China in an “AI arms race,” a scenario he deemed a national security threat.
According to the Financial Times, the explosion in AI processing is increasing electricity demand at an unprecedented rate, with power consumption from data centers predicted to rise by 2028. The intermittent nature of renewable energy sources such as wind and sun cannot meet the demands of AI technologies that advocate an increase in baseload energy provided by fossil fuels.
In particular, Trump's pick to lead the Energy Department, Chris Wright, shares his belief in the importance of energy to power AI. Wright, CEO of major fracking company Liberty Energy, said last July:
The massive increase in AI data centers and bringing industry back to the US is shifting upward demand for electricity and natural gas. AI is enhancing our business and driving demand for our services.
Risk of “arms race”
China's rapid progress in AI, driven by the 2017 Roadmap to Global AI Leadership by 2030, has resulted in significant advances in generative AI, open source models, and autonomous systems. While companies like Alibaba and Huawei are pushing the boundaries of AI innovation, Weride is leveraging China's extensive electric vehicle ecosystem to dominate the Robotaxis market. However, these advances have also prompted a competitive response from the United States, framing AI development as a technological “arms race.”
This competition is increasingly focused on the potential economic and military applications of AI, to the detriment of broader ethical and social concerns. U.S. efforts to outdo China, such as export controls for advanced AI chips, prioritize narrow strategic control over addressing global challenges such as governance, transparency, and fair access to AI. Militarized applications of AI further increase risks as both countries seek to leverage the technology for defense and security benefits and amplify competitive interests.
Why is AI important for supporters?
Prominent technocratic visionaries including Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai, and Sam Altman have flocked to Trump's side, pushing for policies and policies that support advances in AI. It's becoming more and more consistent. These numbers are investing heavily in AI, reflecting its growing role in running governments, economies, and shaping society itself.
Elon Musk
As co-founder of Openai, Musk's first goal was to ensure the benefits of AI were widely shared. However, the move to a “capped for-profit” model, where Openai is for-profit, raises questions about the focus on safety and profitability. Musk has repeatedly warned about the existential risks of unidentified AI, saying, “When you use artificial intelligence, you are summoning the devil.” But he has simultaneously advocated for its development in a way that he feels is safe. For example, through his company Neuralink, Musk envisions a future in which internet-connected brain chips enhance human cognitive abilities with AI integration.
Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel sees AI as a transformative force for robotics, automation, and military applications. Moreover, he frames it as a key battleground between the US and China. A co-founder of Palantir Technologies, a major military and intelligence contractor, he focuses on AI-driven data analysis. The CIA's venture arm, In-Q-Tel, initially funded the company. Thiel's investments, including Anduril Industries' autonomous defense systems, reflect his belief in the importance of AI to national security and technological dominance.
mark zuckerberg
Through Meta, Zuckerberg invested tens of millions of dollars in AI to drive user experience innovations, including personalized recommendations and virtual reality integration. Additionally, his signature investments highlight his belief in AI's ability to improve human decision-making and productivity. But critics have questioned whether Zuckerberg's AI ambitions, particularly in areas such as algorithmic content distribution, will prioritize user well-being or meta profits.
jeff bezos
Bezos leverages AI extensively within Amazon, from supply chain automation to ALEXA's AI-powered virtual assistant. His personal investments align with his broader interest in integrating AI into consumer technology and logistics. (For example, along with Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and many other technocrats, he has personally invested in surrogates.) Bezos' approach reflects a vision of AI as a tool for efficiency and scalability. Masu. But critics point to concerns about the labor mobility and privacy risks inherent in such an automation-heavy strategy.
Sam Altman
Altman, CEO of Openai, has emerged as a central figure in shaping the evolution of AI. Under his leadership, Openai launched ChatGPT and other cutting-edge AI models and made significant advances in generative AI and natural language processing. Altman emphasizes AI's dual potential to “solve humanity's greatest challenges” and, if misused, cause social upheaval.
sundar pichai
Pichai is the CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet. He positions AI as a cornerstone of the company's future, driving innovation in search, cloud computing, and autonomous systems. Under his leadership, Google has invested heavily in developing AI technologies such as DeepMind and Bard.
Corporate influence and AI policy
Large financial stakes in AI, combined with rising political influence, raise concerns about technology leaders shaping policy on energy, privacy, and military AI to prioritize interests over public goods. . As private innovation becomes increasingly aligned with national strategies, these investments risk consolidating power in fewer hands.
AI and globalism
Last but not least, it should be noted that AI is at the heart of the United Nations Agenda 2030. It is specifically touted as a tool of “sustainability” and “progress”. However, integration into global systems risks enabling a dystopian digital surveillance state. AI-powered predictive policing, digital identity, health and bio-source surveillance, and centralized digital currencies will effectively eradicate liberty and freedom by tracking, restricting, and punishing transactions, movements, and actions. You can. Elites can easily weaponize these tools, which are sold as comprehensive, to suppress dissent, enforce compliance, and consolidate technocratic control.
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