Trump’s AI agenda is moving forward with new Tech Corps, data center programs

It’s been less than a year since the Trump administration announced its AI action plan, and the administration continues to insist that America be a global leader in AI.

And while America’s perception of AI remains mixed, adoption of AI tools has grown at home. US-based AI companies are taking products to market at breakneck speed. According to Stanford’s 2025 report, the US is building more advanced AI models than any other country.

With this as evidence that their plan is working, state leaders are moving forward with new infrastructure and AI management initiatives, from assembling AI stack workers to coordinating military deployments. Here’s what happened last month:

Taxpayer Protection Pledge

In an apparent move to ease growing concerns about the impact of data centers on the nation, Trump unveiled an ambitious Taxpayer Protection Pledge on March 5.

A voluntary, non-binding commitment by the tech industry to provide or cover all energy costs associated with AI projects. Signatories agree to add new power stations instead of relying on existing power grids, cover the costs of upgrading existing power systems, and negotiate different pricing structures with local utility companies, if possible. It was signed by Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon Web Services, Oracle, and xAI, following months of Trump’s comments encouraging tech companies to “they paid for themselves“It’s looking at a massive national AI infrastructure.

Speaking at a White House briefing on March 4, Trump said Big Tech needs “PR help,” responding to a growing body of complaints that tech companies are offloading energy costs to residents near data centers. “Because people think that if the data center comes in, their electricity prices will go up, and that is not happening,” said the president. “It won’t happen.”

To the chagrin of climate activists, the agreement is not restrictive environmental impacts of data centers. And energy experts say long-term energy cost cuts will take years to show up on public bills – if companies stick to their promises.

US Tech Corps

On February 22nd, the Trump administration went silent The Tech Corpsan offshoot of the nation’s Peace Corps, which will send trained Americans abroad to preach about American AI technology.

Members of the Tech Corps, who must have proven technical skills, will be assigned projects in countries participating in the American AI Exports Program, which are involved in what the government calls the “last mile” of AI exports, CNBC reports. The list of participating countries is yet to be announced.

The Tech Corps will “help countries around the world harness America’s artificial intelligence to improve opportunity and prosperity for their citizens,” the official website reads. Examples on the website include working closely with schools to accelerate AI adoption, assisting national offices in collaboratively developing AI models, and offering virtual project options in partnership with American technology companies. Tech Corps volunteers serve 12- to 27-month placements, and deployments are expected to begin this fall. Like the Peace Corps, volunteers will receive covered housing, health care, and a living wage.

The Trump administration says it will use the organization’s existing infrastructure to “turbocharge” its mission to “promote world peace and friendship.”

Don’t confuse the Tech Corps with the Trump administration Tech Forcea two-year training and fellowship program aimed at recruiting a pool of AI experts and professionals. At the time, the administration explained that the program would lead to “1,000 technology experts employed by agencies to accelerate the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and solve the federal government’s most critical technological challenges.” The advertised salary of the selected few ranges from $150,000 up to $200,000 -no degree required.

AI powered Department of War

But the biggest headline in Trump’s latest tech agenda is actually a growing rivalry, as the administration’s Defense Department goes head-to-head with some of the country’s leading AI companies. In the midst of a new war with Iran, the government hopes to use modern technology to increase the country’s military capabilities.

As part of the administration’s efforts to modernize federal offices and integrate AI into every department, AI developers including OpenAI, Google, Perplexity, and Anthropic are snagging multimillion-dollar contracts to outsource their services to the federal government and even work directly with government agencies.

But the recent $200 million deal with Anthropic over Claude’s use by the US military it has since collapsed, after the company took a hard line on using its models to engage in potential large-scale domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons under the auspices of the Department of Defense. In response, Trump ordered an end to Claude’s use by federal agencies and later announced that Anthropic a. “supply chain risk” to national securityeven rumors were spreading that negotiations were reopened. Meanwhile, OpenAI came in full force take the dealwith CEO Sam Altman admitting that the deal to use the OpenAI model was quick.

“I think we’re headed for a world where the relationship between governments and AI efforts is critical,” Altman wrote in the letter. long X post. “This will be difficult but it has to happen; I don’t see a good future where we don’t get there.”