President Donald Trump says he plans to create a new “AI Force” and appoint an “AI czar” — but what would either actually do, and what could they mean for the future of artificial intelligence regulation in the United States?
Tech expert Shelly Palmer, Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications, joins Fox 5 New York to break down Trump’s announcement, the current state of federal AI policy, and the growing debate over how — or whether — the government should regulate rapidly advancing AI systems.
Shelly explains why the proposed AI Force remains largely undefined, discusses former AI and crypto czar David Sacks’ evolving role in federal technology policy, and examines the challenge of coordinating AI oversight across multiple government agencies.
The conversation also turns to warnings about the potential dangers of advanced AI. Shelly argues that existential-risk concerns should be separated from the more immediate and practical risks posed by AI, and questions whether calls from major AI companies for stronger regulation could ultimately favor the largest companies at the expense of open-source and open-weight competitors.
From AI safety and regulatory capture to OpenAI, Anthropic, federal oversight, and the future of U.S. AI policy, Shelly explains what’s really at stake as Washington wrestles with how to govern one of the fastest-moving technologies in the world.
Original Airdate: September 22, 2026
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Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it. This work was created with the assistance of various generative AI models.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.