Outgoing Trump adviser says US will not create an AI regulator

In short: A departing White House AI adviser says President Donald Trump will not support creating a US agency that would license or approve AI systems.

What happened

Sriram Krishnan, who recently left his role as an AI adviser to the Trump administration, told the Financial Times that Trump will not set up a formal US AI regulator. He compared the idea to the Food and Drug Administration, the agency that approves medicines, and said there will be no “FDA for AI.”

Krishnan argued that a central agency could slow down new AI releases by adding legal checks and paperwork. He said the administration prefers a lighter approach and does not want to “pick winners and losers” among companies.

At the same time, the US government has used national security powers to slow or stop some advanced AI models. The Financial Times reported that Anthropic was forced to withdraw its most capable model, called Mythos, and that the release of OpenAI’s 5.6 was also held up.

Krishnan said public frustration with AI is growing, but blamed the industry’s messaging. He said AI companies have often focused on scary scenarios, like job loss, instead of clearer benefits, like better medical diagnosis.

The report also cited research from Data Center Watch, saying at least 75 data center projects worth about $130bn were disrupted by local opposition in early 2026. Data centers are large buildings filled with computers that run AI, like warehouses full of servers.

Why it matters

This debate affects how quickly new AI tools reach the public and how much oversight they face. It also shapes how communities deal with the physical growth behind AI, including new data centers and their impact on power use and local areas.

Source: Financial Times