President Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence task force held its first meeting this week, bringing together technology executives and administration officials to shape federal AI policy on infrastructure, energy and regulation.

The meeting focused on accelerating data centre construction, securing electricity supply for AI computing, and streamlining permits for large-scale AI projects. Participants discussed the growing power demands of frontier AI models and the need for new generation capacity near major computing clusters.

Administration officials said the task force will also examine export controls on advanced chips, federal procurement of AI systems, and the balance between innovation and safety oversight. Technology executives pressed for lighter-touch regulation, arguing that American firms face intense competition from China.

The task force was created earlier this year as part of the administration’s push to maintain US leadership in artificial intelligence. Its recommendations are expected to feed into executive actions on energy permitting and federal AI adoption.

Critics, including some lawmakers and civil society groups, have raised concerns about industry influence over the panel and called for stronger safeguards on bias, privacy and labour market disruption as AI systems spread through the economy.