White House expects to take action on 5G, artificial intelligence soon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House will take "executive action" in the coming weeks to make sure the United States keeps its research and development advantage in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, quantum computing and next generation wireless networks, known as 5G, a White House official said on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump discussed investing in what he called "industries of the future" as part of expanded infrastructure investment in his State of the Union address Tuesday evening.

The White House, which held meetings last year to discuss these technologies, did not provide detail on what the actions might be. The Wall Street Journal reported the administration wanted to increase the government's role to quicken the pace of development.

"Within the coming weeks we could expect to see executive action designed to preserve American R&D leadership," the official said.

Presidential adviser Ivanka Trump said in a statement: "This administration is committed to ensuring that America is positioned for dominance in the industries of the future, and that our workforce, current and future, is equipped with the skills they need to thrive in our modern, increasingly digital economy."

(Reporting by Chris Sanders)