On Thursday, President Donald Trump enacted a fresh executive order regarding artificial intelligence, aimed at eliminating previous governmental policies that his administration claims obstruct American innovation in AI technology.
To retain its leading position on the global stage concerning AI advancements, Trump emphasized that it is essential to create AI systems devoid of ideological bias and free from predetermined social agendas. The executive order does not specify which existing regulations are thought to impede the progression of AI but mandates a comprehensive examination of all policies, directives, regulations, and actions stemming from former President Joe Biden’s 2023 executive order on AI, which Trump rescinded earlier this week. Any directives from the Biden administration deemed incompatible with Trump’s new stance, which promotes benefits for humanity, economic efficacy, and national security, must be halted.
In 2022, the Biden administration insisted that federal agencies demonstrate that their AI tools do not endanger the public; if their tools posed any risks, they were to be discontinued. Trump’s directive instructs the White House to modify and reissue these mandates that dictate how agencies procure and utilize AI technologies.
The Trump administration has criticized Biden’s executive order, arguing it introduced excessive and cumbersome requirements on companies working with AI, potentially hindering private sector creativity and jeopardizing America’s dominance in technology.
Furthermore, Trump’s executive order requests the formulation of a detailed AI action plan within 180 days. A select group of officials from the White House, including the newly appointed Special Advisor for AI and Crypto—David Sacks, a venture capitalist and former PayPal executive—will oversee this initiative.
Trump dismissed Biden’s 2023 regulations for emerging AI technologies shortly after returning to the White House on Monday. The new measures could undo several efforts made by the previous administration, particularly those championed by former Vice President Kamala Harris. These efforts aimed to limit governmental usage of AI systems that have demonstrated unfair discrimination based on race, gender, or disability, including unreliable medical diagnosis chatbots and facial recognition technology that has linked to wrongful arrests of Black individuals.
Before Thursday, uncertainty lingered regarding whether Trump would introduce his own AI policies in place of Biden’s. During his previous administration, Trump had signed executive orders concerning AI, including one in 2019 urging federal agencies to emphasize AI research and development, which remains effective.
Alondra Nelson, who served as the acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Biden, criticized Trump’s order as “backward looking,” suggesting it would force federal agencies to evaluate initiatives that are currently beneficial, possibly signaling an intent to dismantle them. She asserted that Biden’s AI policies had been structured to safeguard both innovation and public interest.
Nelson stated, “In 60 days, we’ll discover which Americans’ rights and safety the Trump Administration prioritizes in the AI era, and whether a fair environment exists for all technologists, developers, and innovators or if it will only favor tech billionaires.”
Biden’s 2023 order initiated a rapid assessment across various governmental bodies regarding AI’s implications, from cybersecurity concerns to its influence on education, workplaces, and public welfare. These evaluations aimed to ensure that AI tools did not pose threats to individuals, and much of this labor had already concluded.
One significant component that remained, until Trump reversed it on Monday, was the obligation for technology corporations developing the most advanced AI models to disclose information to the government concerning their systems prior to public deployment.
The emphasis on “human flourishing” in the Trump order mirrors the rhetoric of his campaign promise to dismantle Biden’s AI policies upon his return to office. This notion également aligns with views held by Trump advisor Elon Musk, who has cautioned against the potential dangers of what he calls “woke AI,” which reflects liberal tendencies.
Americans for Responsible Innovation, an advocacy nonprofit, released a statement indicating that Trump has unmistakably prioritized outpacing global competitors in the AI domain since assuming office.
According to the organization’s executive director, Eric Gastfriend, “Today’s executive order is merely a preliminary step until the administration formulates a comprehensive strategy for realizing this vision.”
Following Trump’s revocation of Biden’s executive order on Monday, agencies had already paused their work on AI policies introduced by the former administration, as noted by Gastfriend. He added, “This new directive shouldn’t be unexpected.”
