Manhattan Project 2.0: The Home Front Fight for AI | 1.2.26

Summary

Morning Wire — "Manhattan Project 2.0: The Home Front Fight for AI"

Original Air Date: January 2, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Guest: Cabot Phillips (Daily Wire Senior Editor, Documentary Filmmaker)

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Episode Overview

This special Morning Wire episode delves into the US government's dramatic new push for artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy, likening it to a modern-day Manhattan Project. Cabot Phillips, Senior Editor at Daily Wire and creator of a new documentary on the subject, shares first-hand insights from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and White House initiatives. The discussion explores the unprecedented federal investment in AI, national security implications, energy needs, private-sector collaboration, technological marvels, and the current rivalry with China.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Federal "Genesis Mission" — Uniting for AI Supremacy

• Historic Scope: The Trump administration has signed an executive order, dubbed the "Genesis Mission," channeling billions into AI research and infrastructure ([02:08-03:15]).
• Collaboration Scale: “They’re connecting 40,000 scientists all around the country at 17 different national labs... for the first time, they're all going to be working on the same AI system.” (Cabot Phillips, 02:20)
• National Security Parallel: AI is being treated with the same urgency as the development of the nuclear bomb, underlining fears that if rivals like China or Russia achieve a technological edge, the global balance of power could shift drastically.

2. Government Data for Private Innovation

• Data Access: “For the first time, private companies [will have] access to huge troves of government data...energy grids, weather, ocean floors, healthcare, all to train these new AI models.” (Cabot Phillips, 03:41)
• Directed Focus: Companies can use this data but must address White House priorities: advanced manufacturing, robotics, biotechnology, and nuclear fission.
• Privacy Concerns: “The data we’re giving is...not going to violate anyone’s privacy...It’s weather patterns, geological surveys, ocean floor mapping, things like that.” (Cabot Phillips, 04:57)

3. AI and the Energy Revolution

• Climate Policy Reversal: The administration is rolling back regulations from the previous administration, arguing that attempts to curb fossil fuel use hindered US AI progress.
• Nuclear Power’s Role: Facilities like Oak Ridge National Laboratory are being reinvigorated to provide the massive energy required for AI defense efforts ([05:51-07:07]).
• Quote: “A big part of this is peeling back those climate regulations that were hindering the use of AI... The energy grid we have now... isn’t going to support the type of energy we’re going to need.” (Cabot Phillips, 06:28)

4. Technology Deep Dive: Supercomputers and Neutron Devices

• The Neutron Scattering Device: At Oak Ridge, scientists use a warehouse-sized neutron device to create hyper-detailed 3D images of materials. "You can put things like a car engine into it and then you can shoot neutrons... it can help you find inefficiencies." (Cabot Phillips, 09:05)
• Open Access: Scientists nationwide can apply to use these multi-billion dollar tools for innovation.
• Frontier Supercomputer: “It’s one of the three most powerful computers on planet Earth... Each blade has more computing power than every computer on earth before 2000.” (Cabot Phillips, 10:54)
  • Used for AI model training and scientific research, acting as a national resource where knowledge and capability grows exponentially through collaboration.

5. Global AI Race: US vs. China

• China’s Lead: “China, by far, was the number one country that I heard referenced by political leaders and scientists.” (Cabot Phillips, 12:24)
• Resource Race: China’s edge in rare earth minerals and microchip production fuels concern. The US is investing billions to boost domestic chipmaking capacity.

6. Lessons from History and American Grit

• Manhattan Project Legacy: Phillips’s personal highlight was touring the original Oak Ridge nuclear reactor, a testament to American innovation against the odds ([13:07]).
• Inspiration: “It just left you in awe of realizing what America is capable of when we have our brightest minds working on it. We did it once... We have to now do it again.” (Cabot Phillips, 13:55)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Government-Private Collaboration:
  "President Trump is telling the private sector, ‘Hey, we have the data, we have the money, we have the infrastructure, you have the technology and scientists, let’s work together.’”
  — Cabot Phillips [04:17]

• On United States Urgency:
  “For folks in the Manhattan Project, it was critical that we developed an atomic bomb before Nazi Germany did. AI has been around for a long time, but it’s hitting critical mass now... We have to lead and win the AI race just like we did Manhattan Project.”
  — Energy Secretary Chris Wright [07:38]

• On Open National Labs:
  “There’s this entrepreneurial aspect…[Scientists] from all over the country fly in to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to conduct their experiments.”
  — Cabot Phillips [10:37]

• On AI & Power Demand:
  “What you should think of AI as doing is manufacturing energy into intelligence. One of the things about AI is that it not only consumes energy, but it actually can unlock more energy.”
  — Energy Secretary Chris Wright [07:07]

• On Legacy and Optimism:
  “Everyone’s saying there, the scientists, the politicians… ‘We did it once, we’ve done it many times. We have to now do it again. We’re America. We can do this, but we gotta collaborate.’”
  — Cabot Phillips [13:55]

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Important Timestamps

• [02:08] — US "Genesis Mission" and AI as a national security imperative
• [03:41] — Federal data troves opening to private AI companies
• [05:51] — Energy needs, nuclear focus, and shift from climate regulation constraints
• [07:38] — Energy Secretary Chris Wright on parallels with original Manhattan Project
• [09:05] — Inside Oak Ridge: Neutron scattering device explained
• [10:54] — The Frontier supercomputer’s power and open access
• [12:24] — China as chief global rival in AI and chip production
• [13:07] — Reflections on the original Manhattan Project reactor and American innovation

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Final Takeaways

• The US is dramatically escalating its AI efforts, uniting thousands of scientists and opening resources in a bid to stay ahead of geopolitical rivals, chiefly China.
• The project hinges on government and private-sector synergy, open access to data, and a revitalized energy grid (nuclear power highlighted).
• The government stresses transparency over data privacy, but critics remain cautious.
• The passion and optimism from those involved echo historic moments of American ingenuity—including the original Manhattan Project—building a narrative of national determination in a new era of technological warfare.

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How to Watch the Documentary:
"Manhattan Project 2.0" is available on the Daily Wire YouTube channel, DailyWire.com, or the Daily Wire+ app ([14:32]).

Transcript

[Cabot Phillips]

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[John Bickley]

What do you have to lose?

[Cabot Phillips]

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[Georgia Howe]

50% off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required $45 for three months, $90 for six month or $180 for a 12 month plan. Taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy. See terms. As part of their effort to achieve AI dominance, the Trump administration has launched the new Manhattan Project, pouring billions of dollars into AI research and infrastructure.

[John Bickley]

Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips recently debuted a new documentary on that AI arms race. He joins us now. I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. This is a special edition of Morningwire.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

Every time I walk out in public wearing a Daily Wire tee, I get one of two reactions, a nod of respect or a look of absolute horror. And honestly, I love both. So if you're not afraid to say that men can't get pregnant or that you don't buy the latest conspiracy spanning 12 different countries, then congrats. You're not one of the crazy ones. Head over to dailywire.com shop and check out our exclusive merch you won't find anywhere else. Tees, hats, hoodies, drinkwear, you name it. Perfect for walking, conservative talk and triggering your local whole foods. That's dailywire.com shop.

[John Bickley]

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[Cabot Phillips]

I can never find anything in my size.

[John Bickley]

I don't even know my size.

[Cabot Phillips]

I buy my clothes the same place.

[Georgia Howe]

I buy my groceries.

[John Bickley]

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[Georgia Howe]

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[John Bickley]

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[Georgia Howe]

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[John Bickley]

Free shipping and returns. No subscription required. Get started today@stitch fix.com so we'll talk about your new documentary in a second. But first, tell us about the administration's efforts to boost AI development.

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah. So as AI has burst onto the scene in recent years, most of the development has been happening in the private sector. It's Silicon Valley companies, it's OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, all the big players. But the Trump administration is now saying, hey, we want in on this. We want to help what you guys are doing. And they're adamant that the arms race is Really a national security issue, similar to the nuclear arms race or the space race that was going on back in the 50s and 60s. And they're now viewing AI development in the US as similar to the Manhattan Project during World War II. This idea of, hey, right, if the Soviets or someone else is to get a nuclear bomb before us, it's going to shift the entire global balance of power. And they're now feeling that way with AI, of, hey, if China or Russia becomes the AI leader, we're going to fall behind. It's going to have huge consequences. And so now Trump is clear that he wants the federal government playing a huge role here, if nothing else, for national security. So last month, he signed this new executive order that they're calling the Genesis mission. This is going to connect 40,000 scientists all around the country at 17 different national labs. Wow. And this is the big part. So for the first time, they're all going to be working on the same AI system. And that's big because a lot of AI scientists are working on all of these different programs and products. There's not really any, like, central hub where they're sharing data. And the Trump administration is hopefully trying to get those scientists all on the same page.

[John Bickley]

So 40,000 different scientists working on Skynet, basically, yeah, there's a. There's a data sharing development to this. Can you tell us about that?

[Cabot Phillips]

Right. This is one of the interesting parts. So one of the key parts of AI development is, is training your software on data. And it requires huge amounts of data to train these new systems. And if there's one thing the federal government has, it is a lot of data. So this executive order is going to, for the first time, provide private companies access to huge troves of government data on everything from energy grids and weather patterns to geological surveys and healthcare. Basically, anything they want, they now have access to, to train these new AI models. And then from there, the AI companies are being directed to focus in, on, on core issues that the White House calls challenges of national importance. So they're telling them, hey, you can use our data, but you have to use it to research four main things, advanced manufacturing, robotics, biotechnology, and nuclear fission. So basically, President Trump is telling the private sector, hey, we have the data, we have the money, we have the infrastructure, you have the technology and scientists, let's work together.

[John Bickley]

And I'm sure there's lots of questions about what data is being given access to, what they can use it for. You're talking about, look, they've got a mission in terms of the different focuses. But there's probably some nervousness about access to data that the. The US Government has, correct?

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, there is. And the White House has assured people, look, the data we're giving is. It either has nothing to do with privacy. They said we're not going to violate anyone's privacy with the data that we're giving out. So it's again, it's things, weather patterns, it's geological surveys, things like that. One of the big data sets is actually the ocean floor. So they're just giving them all the data we have that we've gotten from mapping the ocean floor, things of that nature. But they are assuring people, hey, we're not giving out any sort of private information because that would potentially fall into the hands of the Chinese or Russians. So anything we're giving out is nothing that people would be worried about getting out.

[Georgia Howe]

AI uses a lot of energy and it uses a lot of water. Specifically, we have noticed recently some of the elite class walking back some of their climate concerns, specifically Bill Gates, is that because people think we need to be generating more power for AI, and that's going to be a big part of this?

[Cabot Phillips]

That is part of it. So during this documentary, I went to Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, that's home to the original Manhattan Project. The world's first nuclear fission reactor is there in Oak Ridge. I talked to a number of scientists and also a number of political figures, Senators, Congress members, the Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, and all of the political figures did have a similar message, which was that over the last four years under President Biden, we have seen this crackdown on energy. And they said a lot of these climate policies actually led the US to fall behind on AI research because so much of it was just restraining, you know, the use of coal and natural gas and oil and, you know, their water restrictions. And so they are saying, hey, a big part of this is peeling back a lot of those climate regulations that were hindering the use of AI. Those initiatives absolutely go hand in hand. And that's why I went to Oak Ridge, because that is where we're doing a lot of the top nuclear research. And basically the Trump administration saying, this is going to be all hands on deck type approach. And the current energy grid that we have, it's not going to be able to support the type of energy we're going to need for how many AI data centers we're going to be building in the future. And so they're saying, hey, we're knocking on the door. We need more energy. Where Else can we turn Nuclear seems to be the best place to do that.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

Historically, I think over the past couple of years, the US energy grid has not grown very much. That is something that President Trump and Secretary Wright, they are actually very enthusiastic about increasing the supply of energy because it is necessary for such energy intensive manufacturing processes. What we do, the thing that you should think of AI as doing is manufacturing energy into intelligence. And one of the things about AI is that it not only is something that consumes energy, but it actually can unlock more energy.

[Cabot Phillips]

Here's what Energy Secretary Chris Wright actually had to say about that. We include some of this conversation in the documentary, but we'll play a clip of that now.

[Energy Official or Documentary Narrator]

For folks in the Manhattan Project, it was critical that we developed an atomic bomb before Nazi Germany did. Think of the world today, if they had led and had an atomic bomb before we did, the world would be unrecognizable. AI has been around for a long time, but it's hitting critical mass now. In the next few years, AI is going to change our world, not just economically, but in science and also in national defense. China is working aggressively at AI. If they got a meaningful lead on, it will be a different world in the future. We have to lead and win the AI race just like we did Manhattan Project. This is Manhattan Project 2.

[John Bickley]

That was great self promotion for your documentary, by the way.

[Cabot Phillips]

Thank you.

[John Bickley]

So in your documentary you talk about the neutron scattering device.

[Cabot Phillips]

Would you explain that this was wild. At one point, one of the scientists comes over to us and says, hey, can I show you something kind of cool? And they had this like look in their eye and they said, okay. So we go through 10 different layers of security and they have all these badges everyone's swiping. So we meet the lead scientist of the neutron scattering division. Here's a little bit of what he had to say. He was a character for sure. A lot of fun talking to him.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

So what they do is they take that data and then they shove it into a machine learning or AI.

[John Bickley]

So you need something, some computer, some human intelligence or artificial intelligence to interpret that pattern.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

That's. I mean, when I explain it like that, it sounds quite simple. And in principle it is beautifully simple.

[Cabot Phillips]

And he takes us to this giant facility. It's this warehouse, multiple football fields long. And there are all of these metal tubes that run the length. Some of them are a quarter mile or more longer. And it's underground components and overground. And I'm thinking, what am I looking at right now? And essentially what this device does is it shoots neutrons near the speed of light incredibly fast. And it shoots them into little compartments where you can put little devices, you can put different elements, you can put even pieces of machinery, you could put microchips. And when the neutron is fired into it, it bounces around inside of the device and gives you this essential, basically a 3D model of what you're looking at. They compared it almost like an mri, but with much higher resolution. And then there are even bigger parts of the device where you can put things like a car engine into it and then you can shoot neutrons into it. And, and he showed me you can turn the engine on while you're doing this, and then it can help you find inefficiencies in the engine. And so the scientists are using this to also help American manufacturing. They're saying this can help us make products more energy efficient, it can help us become more profitable as a country. And the other cool part was that any scientists from around the country can apply and they can show them, hey, here's the proof of concept. Basically, here's why I need to use this device, here's what I'm going to use it for. And so there's this entrepreneurial aspect where the federal government is opening up this incredible national laboratory, these, you know, multi billion dollar devices to scientists from around the country who have good ideas, who, you know, go in and they, they do their research. And then the next scientist comes in the next week and you can reserve different portions of this device for a few days at a time. So people from all over the country fly in to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to conduct their experiments.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, another piece of technology you talk about in the documentary is the frontier supercomputer. What does that do?

[Cabot Phillips]

That does basically whatever you want it to do. It's one of the three most powerful computers on planet Earth. It accounts for basically millions of these right here all in one. You walk in and the computer is so large that you walk endless rows, and there's row after row after row of these cabinets and they pull out little blades and each blade has more computing power than every computer on earth before the year 2000. It's mind blowing how powerful this computer is. And again, this computer is running super sophisticated AI models. So it's constantly being updated. And AI researchers come from around the country to train their models on the existing knowledge that's within this computer. And so it's kind of this cascading effect where the more knowledge and the more advanced this computer becomes, other scientists come in and it makes their existing AI models more knowledgeable, if you will. And so it's again, the US Government, the Trump administration, saying, we want to open this up for all of our top scientists. And so, obviously, there are some concerns about, let's make sure that the people that are coming here are using this for the right purposes and are gonna help America. But the Trump team is, again, they're saying all hands on deck. Let's get all the AI scientists that we can here. Collaboration is the name of the game. I heard that over and over throughout my visit there. Collaborating with private sector, public sector. Let's all work together. Because if we don't, China's gonna do it, Russia's gonna do it. Our adversaries are happy to step in.

[Georgia Howe]

Now, you mentioned that there are three of these supercomputers worldwide who are our other top competitors here.

[Cabot Phillips]

China, by far, that was the number one country that I heard referenced by the political leaders, by the scientists. And it's clear that the Trump administration views China as the number one adversary here. Not only are they the only country that is comparable when it comes to chip production, that's why the President has been so adamant about getting rare earth minerals here in the US about pouring billions and billions of dollars into chip manufacturing here, because they're saying, hey, China's our only real competitor on this, and they have all of the resources within their country or they have deals with other countries to get those rare earth minerals. And so the concern is absolutely the Chinese Communist Party.

[John Bickley]

Well, we could keep talking forever, but final question on this. Your favorite part of this trip. What was your biggest takeaway?

[Cabot Phillips]

My favorite part actually had nothing to do with AI. It was more about the nuclear side. They took us into the original nuclear fission reactor from the Manhattan Project. I shouldn't say they took us into it. If we went into it, I don't think I would be here right now, because there's still a lot of radiation there. But they gave us a private tour of the. Again, this was the first place on planet Earth where there was nuclear fission taking place. And they still have the original building that's standing. It's very cool to see. And they walked us through the graphite reactor and how these brave hero scientists were really risking their lives to create the nuclear bomb that ultimately ended the war. And getting that private tour, there were spots where it's just giant concrete slabs, where you have to crawl on all fours to get to the little holes in the wall where you can put the graphite in. It was unbelievable. To see and seeing the original computers that they had that they were working with, they weren't even really computers. It was just these giant, rusty metal devices thinking, how did these scientists figure this out with the technology they had? And it just left you in awe of realizing what America is capable of when we have our brightest minds working on it. And there is that optimism now of them. Everyone's saying there, the scientists saying there, the politicians saying there, we did it once, we've done it many times over the years. We have to now do it again. Like, we're America. We can do this, but we gotta collaborate.

[John Bickley]

Well, really exciting project. A little scary some aspects of it. I mean, the power in that, in the rooms that you were in is incredible. Where can people watch this documentary?

[Cabot Phillips]

Yeah, go on YouTube. Type in Manhattan Project 2.0. It's on the Daily Wire. YouTube. The easiest way to watch it though, go to DailyWire.com or Daily Wire+app and you can watch it there directly on platform as well.

[John Bickley]

Yeah. Great stuff as always, Cabot. Thanks so much for joining us.

[Cabot Phillips]

Absolutely.

[Energy Official or Documentary Narrator]

Guys, AI is going to change our world. China is working aggressively. If they got a meaningful lead on us in AI, it will be a different world in the future.

[Cabot Phillips]

All right, what is this? This is one blade of the frontier supercomputer.

[John Bickley]

Wow.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

What we have to do here in America is out innovate. Everybody on the planet, the risk.

[Georgia Howe]

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[John Bickley]

Is it safe? We realize the power, but we also.

[Cabot Phillips]

Realize the great responsibility that comes with it.