Trump's "AI Manhattan Project" Misses the Mark, Experts Say

Last month, President Donald Trump launched a national push to use artificial intelligence (AI) for scientific discovery. His "Genesis Mission" executive order directly compares its urgency to the 1940s Manhattan Project. That project created the first atomic bomb and helped end World War II. The comparison suggests a similar, full-national mobilization for AI. But analysts find the comparison flawed. The Manhattan Project had a single, secret goal with a clear enemy. It was also almost entirely funded by the government. The Genesis Mission is different. Its goals are broad, aiming to boost progress across many scientific fields. The project also relies on partnering with private companies, not just government effort. Experts argue that modern scientific challenges, like AI development, are more open and global. They say success depends on collaboration, not the secretive, wartime model of the past. While the AI mission's ambition is clear, the Manhattan Project analogy may set misleading expectations for how it will work.