President Trump told a White House gathering Wednesday that artificial intelligence could become “bigger than the internet,” and urged a light-touch regulatory approach designed to keep U.S. firms competitive—especially versus China—while accelerating buildout of the data centers and power infrastructure that power the AI boom. Speaking to crypto executives and financial regulators ahead of the CFTC’s first Innovation Advisory Committee meeting, Trump framed his stance as pro-growth: “We want to regulate, but we want to have regulation where they can continue to lead,” he said. “That regulation is not going to stifle a very important industry. I think maybe bigger than the internet, bigger than anything anyone’s seen.” He added that AI and competition with China will likely come up during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s U.S. visit on Sept. 24. Infrastructure push: new power plants, grid concerns A major practical focus of the administration is speeding new electricity generation tied to AI data centers, rather than relying on an aging national grid. “Our grid is old and tired and weak, so they’re building some of the greatest electric plants anywhere in the world,” Trump said, noting companies are often feeding excess power back into the grid. In March, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle and xAI signed the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, committing to cover the new electricity generation and infrastructure needed for their facilities. Trump urged governors and mayors to welcome AI projects, arguing they bring big construction jobs, investment and tax revenue: “If I were the mayor of a town or the governor of a state, and I had a chance to get a big plant, an AI plant or a data center, I would absolutely want it,” he said. Local pushback and regulatory friction But the rollout hasn’t been smooth. Opposition to AI data centers has mounted over concerns about electricity demand, water usage and other environmental impacts. This year at least 37 people have been arrested during data center protests, and lawmakers in 15 states have considered moratoriums on development. Financial institutions are starting to factor community opposition into project financing: in Q1 2026, at least 75 data centers with a combined value of roughly $130 billion faced local opposition. And on Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order tightening requirements for large data centers so developers bear the costs they impose on the electrical grid. What this means for crypto and markets For crypto firms and infrastructure investors, the White House message is twofold: Washington wants the U.S. to keep an edge in AI and won’t impose heavy-handed rules that could slow innovation, but companies must also navigate rising local resistance and new state-level requirements. The result is likely more on-site power projects, continued public debate over environmental and community impacts, and closer scrutiny from both regulators and financiers as AI and crypto infrastructure expand. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news