The U.S. semiconductor industry applauded the signing of an executive order by President Donald Trump which directs U.S. federal agencies to prioritize investments in artificial intelligence R&D.

Trump's initiative, announced Monday, orders the creation of a coordinated federal strategy that aims to enhance U.S. leadership in AI research and deployment, including technology development, standards creation and education. No funding goals are specified in the initiative, but it directs federal agency heads to make AI R&D a top priority.

The Semiconductor Industry Association trade group said that U.S. leadership in AI research and commercial deployment is largely due to its position in semiconductor technology, fueled by tens of billions of dollars in R&D annually — including $36 billion in 2017.

"We are one of the most R&D-intensive industries in the world," the SIA said in a statement. "However, other countries — most notably China — are investing ambitiously to close to AI technology gap."

The SIA cited on estimate that AI could add more than $8 trillion to the U.S. economy by 2035, boosting annual growth from 2.6% to 4.6%.

"The rapid adoption of AI is taking place across a range of sectors, including healthcare, transportation, law enforcement, finance, and manufacturing," the statement read. "And future applications are nearly limitless." In a statement of its own, the White House said AI promises great benefits for American workers, including the potential to improve safety and increase productivity.

"Investment in AI is critical to creating the industries of the future like autonomous cars, industrial robots, algorithms for disease diagnosis, and more," the statement read.

By: DocMemory
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