Exclusive: Kratsios says Trump AI push won't raise power bills
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White House science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios said on Wednesday at Axios' AI+DC Summit that the Trump administration can be bullish on AI innovation and still address the public's growing fears about the technology.
Why it matters: Kratsios is the White House's point person translating Trump's AI executive orders into actual policy.
Driving the news: The White House last week released its highly anticipated recommendations for Congress on AI, but the four-page framework doesn't resolve longstanding issues around protecting kids and overriding state law.
- Kratsios said that the framework was still in "early innings," but added that it's meant to be an important catalyst that kicks off a major policy push for the rest of the year.
- "We want to try to get it as expeditiously as possible," Kratsios told Axios' Ashley Gold.
Between the lines: When Axios pressed Kratsios on voter AI fears about jobs, child safety and the technology reshaping daily life, he repeatedly referenced Trump's ratepayer protection pledge.
- "The president was able to bring all the big data center companies together at the White House a couple weeks ago," Kratsios said.
- He added that the companies essentially agreed to "build, bring or buy their own power every time they build a data center."
Zoom in: Kratsios also said the White House's AI framework is designed to protect creators.
- "We want to make sure that their work, all the great books that they've written, or the music that they've created, or the movies that they've created, are not essentially used as outputs of an AI model for commercial purposes," he said.
- The framework is meant to ensure that those artists are protected and compensated, rather than having tech companies use their work for free.
What we're watching: Kratsios promised "strong dialogue with the Hill" and teased a packed White House Office of Science and Technology Policy agenda beyond AI, including a test for flying cars.
Go deeper: Tech ratepayer pledge may be more bark than bite — but still matters
