President Donald Trump joined executives from some of the largest US tech and energy companies for a summit in Pittsburgh on Tuesday (July 15), as the administration prepares new measures to power the country’s expansion of artificial intelligence. Trump told an energy summit at Carnegie Mellon University that the United States would be fighting China "in a very friendly fashion." The Energy and Innovation Summit brought together leaders from companies including Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Exxon Mobil to discuss positioning the U.S. as a global leader in AI. The gathering highlighted the growing intersection of technology, energy, and geopolitics as AI becomes critical in sectors ranging from corporate boardrooms to defense. Trump and the summit’s host, U.S. Senator Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, touted some $90 billion in AI and energy investments in the state. “This is a really triumphant day for the people of the Commonwealth and for the United States of America, we’re doing things that nobody ever thought possible,” Trump told attendees. Trump has launched a global trade war in recent years, imposing tariffs of at least 10% on many nations and even steeper duties on others, part of a broader effort to reshape global trade and outcompete China in critical sectors like AI.

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