US to spend $5 billion on health, construction research powered by AI

The Trump administration has announced a $5 billion spending plan to use artificial intelligence to advance research in health and construction. The announcement was made on July 22, 2026.

The shift from university-based grants to direct funding for individual researchers represents a significant change in how federal research dollars are distributed. The administration stated that this approach will accelerate results by bypassing institutional bureaucracy.

Critics have raised concerns about potential politicisation of research funding, while supporters argue that direct funding will foster innovation. The administration has not released detailed criteria for selecting individual scientists or specific project timelines.