Donald Trump signs executive order to use AI in fight against childhood cancer

Published on 01/10/2025 - 16:01 GMT+2

President Donald Trump has announced a caller executive bid aimed astatine utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to summation advancement successful nan conflict against pediatric cancer.

The bid pledges $50 million(€43 million) successful caller backing to a puerility crab information initiative, first launched during Trump’s first word successful office. Officials opportunity nan backing will thief stitchery and analyse immense amounts of aesculapian data, to usage AI to amended diagnoses, velocity up objective tests and sharpen prevention efforts. 

"We're going to hook up nan artificial intelligence pinch each of nan different things that we person astatine hand," Trump said successful nan Oval Office connected Tuesday. “And we're going (to) travel for answers and these young children who are conscionable really, immoderate are perfectly amended and others are getting better".

Turning to nan young crab survivors gathered astir nan Resolute desk, Trump added: “You’re each going to beryllium amended very soon”.

White House officials declined to specify which companies aliases technologies mightiness return part, saying nan specifications are still successful development. But Trump suggested nan exertion would yet beryllium wide available: “It’s gonna beryllium truthful accessible to everybody”.

Pediatric cancer: uncommon but devastating

Although comparatively rare, crab is nan starring origin of disease-related decease aft infancy among children successful nan United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that astir 9,550 children successful nan US will beryllium diagnosed pinch crab successful 2025.

While endurance rates person improved dramatically - pinch puerility crab mortality falling by much than 50 per cent since 1975 - incidence rates person steadily accrued since nan 1970s.

Globally, crab affects astir 400,000 children and adolescents nether 19 each year, according to nan World Health Organization (WHO).

Pediatric crab investigation besides remains chronically underfunded, representing little than 10 per cent of nan national crab investigation budget, according to nan Children’s Cancer Foundation.

Trump's executive bid doubles nan National Institutes of Health’s committedness to nan Childhood Cancer Data Initiative, bringing full backing to $100 million. But it comes against a backdrop of broader cuts to national subject backing nether his administration.

In caller years, hundreds of scientists person been removed from nan national payroll and respective 100 cardinal dollars successful grants - including immoderate supporting pediatric crab studies - person been cancelled.

The Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, a nationalist web that has fixed children entree to experimental treatments for much than 25 years, was told successful August it would nary longer person national support. Earlier fund drafts besides projected slashing nan National Cancer Institute’s backing by much than a third, but those cuts still stay nether negotiation.

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network has warned that nan projected cuts “will group this federation backmost dramatically successful our expertise to trim decease and suffering".