NEW YORK - President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Justice Department would closely monitor the artificial intelligence industry and could intervene if necessary, while reiterating his opposition to broad new regulations that he says could slow development of the technology.
Trump made the comments during his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where artificial intelligence was among the technology and economic issues raised during his speech.
Reuters reported that Trump said the administration would watch the industry closely through the Department of Justice.
The president did not announce a new regulatory agency, licensing system or specific enforcement action against an AI company.
His comments instead suggest that the administration intends to rely at least partly on existing federal law-enforcement authority as AI capabilities continue to expand.
Trump opposes broader AI restrictions
Trump paired the Justice Department warning with a renewed argument against imposing regulations that he believes could restrict development of artificial intelligence.
He said he did not want the government to stifle a technology that he believes could ultimately have an economic impact greater than the Industrial Revolution.
That position is consistent with the administration's broader AI policy during Trump's second term.
A White House executive action announced in June emphasized voluntary cooperation between the federal government and AI developers while explicitly stating that it did not establish mandatory federal licensing, pre-clearance or permitting requirements for AI models.
The same policy directed the attorney general to prioritize enforcement against people who use AI to illegally access or damage computer systems, steal information or facilitate other criminal activity.
Trump's comments Tuesday go further rhetorically by specifically identifying the Justice Department as a potential check on the AI sector itself if federal intervention becomes necessary.
Exactly what conduct could trigger such intervention was not specified.
Government to use 'super intelligence' terminology
Trump also said federal government documents would increasingly use the term 'super intelligence' instead of 'artificial intelligence.'
He said he preferred the terminology because he believed the word 'artificial' made the technology sound less significant.
In the technology industry, however, artificial intelligence and artificial superintelligence have traditionally referred to different concepts.
Artificial intelligence is the broad term for computer systems capable of performing tasks associated with human intelligence.
Superintelligence is commonly used to describe a theoretical system whose capabilities substantially exceed human performance across a wide range of intellectual tasks.
Trump did not announce a technical definition for how the federal government would apply the new terminology or identify which agencies would immediately change their language.
AI safety debate intensifying
The remarks come as debate intensifies over whether rapidly advancing AI systems require stronger government oversight.
Reuters reported Tuesday that public concern has grown following warnings from AI researchers about the potential risks of increasingly capable systems.
Trump has rejected some of the most severe warnings and has argued that excessive regulation could undermine the United States in its technological competition with other countries.
At the same time, the administration has acknowledged cybersecurity and national-security risks associated with advanced AI.
The White House's June policy established a voluntary framework for cooperation with developers of advanced models and called for greater use of AI in defending federal computer systems and critical infrastructure.
It also directed federal agencies to develop methods for assessing advanced AI models for cybersecurity capabilities.
DOJ role remains unclear
The Justice Department already has authority to enforce federal criminal laws, antitrust statutes and other laws that can apply to technology companies.
Trump's comments did not specify whether potential intervention would involve antitrust enforcement, criminal investigations, cybersecurity violations, consumer protection concerns or another area of federal law.
No new Justice Department enforcement program targeting AI companies was announced Tuesday.
The distinction is significant because monitoring an industry under existing laws is different from establishing a new regulatory framework specifically governing artificial intelligence.
Congress has considered multiple proposals addressing AI safety, transparency and other issues, but the United States does not currently have a single comprehensive federal law governing all artificial intelligence development.
States have also adopted their own AI-related laws and regulations, creating a growing debate over whether national standards should replace or limit state-level requirements.
What happens next
Trump's U.N. remarks add another element to the administration's developing approach to artificial intelligence: opposition to broad restrictions on development combined with the possibility of federal enforcement when officials believe existing laws have been violated.
The practical effect will depend on whether the Justice Department announces specific investigations, enforcement standards or guidance involving AI companies.
Federal agencies will also determine how broadly Trump's instruction to use the term 'super intelligence' is implemented across government documents.
For technology companies, the larger policy question remains how Washington intends to balance rapid AI development with concerns involving cybersecurity, competition, criminal misuse and increasingly capable models.