Darío Gil, the under-secretary for science at the US Department of Energy, is leading efforts to advance artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum science, fields prioritized by the Trump administration despite cuts to federal science funding. The Department aims to build the first fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2028 and has launched the $600-million Genesis mission to develop an AI platform connecting scientific resources across national labs. While some scientists are skeptical about the focus on AI over basic research, the initiative has attracted significant interest, with a record 5,000 applications for funding. Gil, who has a background in electrical engineering and computer science, emphasizes that the shift in funding priorities is part of a broader trend towards maintaining and building user facilities, rather than solely a result of the Genesis mission.
QUESTION: How might the focus on AI and quantum science impact future scientific research and job opportunities in other fields?
Trump has big AI and quantum ambitions: this scientist’s job is to make them reality
