US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order to fast-track the construction of large-scale data centers and clean energy facilities in the US to support advanced AI technologies.
The order instructs federal agencies to speed up the development of AI infrastructure on government properties, including making federal sites available for the construction of data centers and renewable energy facilities.
It sets out lease obligations for developers on federal sites, which includes paying the full cost of building, operating and maintaining AI infrastructure and ensuring clean energy to match the data center’s electricity needs.
Further, it tasked the Departments of Defense and Energy with identifying sites where private companies can build AI data centers.
In a statement, Biden emphasized the “profound implications” of AI for national security and improving American lives “if harnessed responsibly.”
“Domestic data centers for training and operating powerful AI models will help the United States facilitate AI’s safe and secure development, harness AI in service of national security, and prevent adversaries from accessing powerful systems to the detriment of our military and national security,” Biden said.
“It will also help prevent America from growing dependent on other countries to access powerful AI tools.”