Trump’s ‘Tech Corps’ Will Promote AI Globally to Outpace China
The Trump administration is set to launch a new Peace Corps initiative aimed at deploying thousands of US science and math graduates overseas. This effort is designed to enhance foreign countries’ dependence on American technology while simultaneously curbing the global uptake of competing products from China, as stated by a US official. The initiative, referred to as the Tech Corps, aims to send up to 5,000 American volunteers and advisers to partner nations of the Peace Corps over the next five years, according to the official. It aims to guide nations towards US-made artificial intelligence hardware and software, while diverting them from technology produced in China, the primary competitor of the US in the AI sector. Michael Kratsios is set to announce the venture on Friday at the India AI Impact Summit, according to the official. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity prior to the announcement, stated that the program aims to provide the six-decade-old Peace Corps with a renewed sense of purpose in an era driven by technology.
“To further enable AI adoption in the developing world, the Trump administration is bringing America’s historic Peace Corps into the 21st century with the launch of the Tech Corps,” Kratsios plans to say, according to an advance copy of his remarks. “This new initiative will embed volunteer technical talent with import partners to provide last-mile support in deploying powerful AI applications for enhanced public services.” At the summit, Kratsios is anticipated to underscore US plans for an AI Agent Standards Initiative aimed at fostering the development of an industry-led, open, and secure AI agent, alongside a National Champion Initiative designed to connect companies in partner nations with American technology. Winning the global AI race stands as a paramount concern for President Donald Trump, who has aimed to boost US exports of associated technology, including advanced processors from Nvidia Corp. The Peace Corps tech venture seeks to outpace China in the realm of AI by addressing Beijing’s established approach of providing infrastructure development, including roads and power plants, across South America, Africa, and certain regions of Europe. Established in 1961 during the presidency of John F. Kennedy amid the Cold War, the Peace Corps has served as a tool of goodwill diplomacy for the United States.
According to the agency, last year saw over 3,000 volunteers contributing their efforts in more than 60 countries on a variety of projects, including agriculture, health care, and environmental initiatives. The inclusion of the tech initiative would represent a notable broadening of its mandate. Numerous aspects of the tech program were still ambiguous prior to the announcement, such as the countries that would take part and the implications for current Peace Corps operations. The official stated that funding for the Tech Corps would encompass contributions from both corporations and charities. For fiscal year 2026, the agency received $410 million from Congress under spending legislation signed by Trump earlier this month. The official announced that recruitment and training of tech volunteers will commence this year, aiming to attract 500 professionals for the inaugural cohort. The State Department, along with financing agencies such as the Development Finance Corporation and Export-Import Bank, will unveil new financing opportunities aimed at facilitating American AI adoption globally. Meanwhile, ministries in host countries will work together to dispatch volunteers to areas looking to implement AI, according to the official.
Enabling the Peace Corps to implement Trump’s technology agenda would heighten competition with China throughout the Global South, where Chinese tech firms are gaining traction with more affordable products, such as large-language models from DeepSeek. Beijing’s strategy regarding AI draws inspiration from its previous Digital Silk Road initiative, during which Chinese companies established telecommunications networks across multiple continents. Throughout Trump’s initial term, Kratsios journeyed globally, endeavoring to convince US allies to eliminate Huawei Technologies Co. equipment. The administration is now attempting to revive a previously announced initiative, known as the American AI Exports Program, which provides nations with packages that include chips, servers, AI models, cloud services, and networking solutions. In July, Trump established the program through an executive order. The Tech Corps seeks to enhance that initiative by supplying volunteers to nations that do not possess national AI strategies or the operational capability to implement AI solutions. The US intends to engage senior experts for advisory roles, alongside volunteers in overseas positions, to remotely supervise and mentor those operating in the field.
