The tech-broification of American science has officially begun - The Verge

What the report says

The Verge reported that the Trump administration has announced the first grants under its “Genesis Mission,” allocating $5 billion to 278 AI-focused science projects. The initiative, led in this round by the Energy Department, is intended to use artificial intelligence to speed research across areas including drug discovery, biomedical science, energy, advanced materials and robotics. The Verge said the projects were chosen from more than 5,000 applications, with technology companies such as Google, Microsoft and OpenAI providing support including compute resources and AI credits.

The announcement coincided with testimony on Capitol Hill by White House science adviser Michael Kratsios, who promoted what the administration calls a new “Golden Age” for American science. According to The Verge, the administration’s broader agenda emphasizes AI, robotics and nuclear energy, while reducing the central role of universities and shifting more funding toward individual researchers, private-sector participants and politically appointed officials with greater authority over grant decisions.

The Verge framed the moves as part of a wider restructuring of U.S. science policy, including pressure on universities and research programs over ideological concerns and diversity-related work. The article contrasts the administration’s approach with the post-World War II model associated with Vannevar Bush, which supported open-ended basic research that might not produce immediate practical results.

Researchers quoted by The Verge criticized the agenda as overly shaped by Silicon Valley and venture-capital assumptions. Some academics acknowledged that faster grant reviews, lower administrative burdens and more support for high-risk research could be useful. But several warned that treating science like a startup could undermine basic research, politicize funding decisions and weaken the institutions that helped establish the United States as a major scientific power.