The United States has unveiled a US AI research initiative worth $5 billion to address major scientific challenges using artificial intelligence. The Trump administration said the funding will support research in healthcare, construction, energy and other critical sectors by expanding the use of AI technologies.
According to the White House, the initiative aims to identify the root causes of chronic diseases, accelerate drug discovery and develop stronger, longer-lasting construction materials. Officials said artificial intelligence will help researchers analyse vast amounts of data and solve complex scientific problems more efficiently.
Michael Kratsios, Chief Technology Adviser to President Donald Trump, said participating scientists will gain access to the Department of Energy’s supercomputers, advanced AI systems and specialised datasets. These resources will enable researchers to conduct large-scale experiments and develop new AI-driven scientific models.
The project will involve 15 federal agencies, including the Departments of Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, Defence and Interior. Kratsios said the White House is coordinating the agencies to create a unified national effort for AI-powered scientific research.
Alongside the new investment, the administration plans to reform the way federal research funding is distributed. A White House report recommends providing greater support to individual scientists and AI-based research projects rather than directing most funding through universities, arguing that federal science spending should remain politically accountable.
The initiative comes as the administration continues efforts to reshape federal research policy. Earlier this year, a US appeals court ruled that the government could not reduce National Institutes of Health research grants awarded to universities, limiting some proposed funding changes.
Officials said the US government’s extensive databases, including information on healthcare, chemicals and critical minerals, will help train advanced AI models. Microsoft also announced it will contribute $40 million in AI computing credits over the next three years to support the US AI research initiative.
