White House Budgets Billions for AI R&D

The White House has released a new report detailing its research and development priorities and artificial intelligence is a key investment. 

Related: White House Updates AI R&D Plan 

The report outlines R&D spending of over $2 billion on AI between 2020 and 2021 and about a billion dollars on quantum computing. 

“This Administration has taken unprecedented action to prioritize American leadership in AI and quantum. These technologies are of critical strategic importance to our economy and nationals security, and we remain steadfastly committed to a significant and sustained emphasis on AI and quantum R&D amid strong global competition,” said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios. 

Related: White House Unveils AI Regulatory Principles 

President Trump launched the American AI Initiative in February 2019, which told federal agencies to prioritize AI in their budget requests. 

Related: Senate Commerce Slates AI Hearing 

"The Trump Administration continues to prioritize the science and technologies that power IotF-AI, QIS, advanced communications networks/5G, advanced manufacturing, and biotechnology 1-as well as the future computing ecosystem that underpins advances in IotF, and the autonomous and remotely piloted vehicles that are enabled by IotF," said the report. "These industries promise to fuel American prosperity, improve quality of life and national security, and create high-paying jobs for American workers." 

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.