IBM CEO Arvind Krishna is of the opinion that the US government should consider increasing the federal funding for AI research and development. In an interview with TechCrunch, Krishan said that he strongly advocates for expanding federally funded AI research. He also emphasised that these kinds of investments lead to high economic returns. He also believes that greater investment in AI is crucial for maintaining US competitiveness.
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna’s request to Donald Trump’s administration
In a conversation with TechCrunch, Krishna stated that both IBM, and he personally, strongly support increased government funding for AI R&D.He also believes that AI has immense potential and can address critical challenges and create new opportunities.“We have been an extremely strong advocate — and this is both the company and me personally — on that federally funded R&D should be increased. That’s the position, which is unequivocal, and we strongly believe in that,” Krishna told TechCrunch.Recently, Trump’s administration proposed deep cuts related to AI research programs including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Also, recently, the Directorate of Technology, Innovation and partnerships (TIP) faced budget reductions.Krishna also warned that slashing of AI R&D funding could weaken America’s position in the global AI race. He mentioned that IBM also faced federal cutbacks as the government cancelled 15 contracts with IBM which led to a loss of $100 million in revenue.“We believe that [federal R&D funding] right now [is] happening at close to historic lows in terms of percentage of GDP and that more federally funded R&D has an incredibly positive effect on the economy, on economic growth, on the competitiveness of the United States, and also in investing in many technologies that are essential for our future,” Krishna told TechCrunch.However, Krishna is still optimistic that the government will ramp up the R&D spending within a year. “I will tell you I expect that in a year … federally funded R&D for AI, for quantum, for semiconductors — I expect it to be in as good or in a better shape than it is today,” concluded Krishna.