Trump Stacked Tech Council With ‘Star Power,’ David Sacks Says

Summary

• President Trump formed a new PCAST (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology), co-chaired by David Sacks, to provide recommendations on cutting-edge tech and science issues impacting the economy and security.
• The initial 15-member council includes high-profile "builders" and "doers" like Jensen Huang (Nvidia), Lisa Su (AMD), Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), and Michael Dell, noted for its unprecedented "star power."
• Key focus areas for PCAST will be Artificial Intelligence, advanced semiconductors, quantum computing, and nuclear power (including fusion and small modular reactors).
• The Trump administration released a "National A.I. Framework" last week, aiming to establish a single federal rulebook for AI to avoid a damaging patchwork of 50 different state regulations.
• The AI framework includes principles on child safety online, a "ratepayer protection pledge" to prevent AI data centers from raising residential electricity costs, and provisions to protect content creators while allowing AI model training.
• Sacks sees a "very good chance" for bipartisan Congressional action on this AI framework within the next few months, citing muted Democratic criticism and outreach from Democrats who also want a national standard.
• The administration's general tech policy is described as "pro-innovation, pro-infrastructure, pro-energy, and pro-export," with a belief that global market share for American tech is beneficial for both the economy and national security.
• On exports to countries of concern like China, policy is acknowledged to require more nuance and caution, though the overarching goal is for American technology to become the global standard.
• Sacks clarifies his previous public comments on seeking an "off-ramp" in the Iran conflict reflect his personal view, aligning with the President's stated desire to conclude the war, but emphasizes he is not part of the foreign policy team.