United States President Trump has issued an executive order to strengthen the country’s leadership in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and to develop new policy guidelines for this rapidly evolving technology. The Trump administration aims to eliminate regulatory hurdles inhibiting AI development, envisioning the United States as the global capital of AI.
According to the order signed at the White House on Thursday (January 23), Trump has directed a cross-departmental team to formulate a policy within six months for the “Artificial Intelligence Action Plan” to “sustain and enhance America’s leadership in AI, thus promoting prosperity, economic competitiveness, and national security for all mankind”.
David Sacks, the incoming AI and cryptocurrency policy chief, and former Chief Operating Officer of PayPal, highlighted during the signing ceremony that the policy is intended to make the United States the world capital of AI, leading the AI field and shaping global trends.
Trump has also instructed aides to revoke AI regulatory policies put in place by the Biden administration, viewing these existing policies and directives as barriers to entrepreneurial innovation.
In the executive order, Trump stated, “Propelled by free markets, world-class research institutions, and entrepreneurial spirit, the United States has long been at the forefront of AI innovation.”
“To maintain this leading position, we must develop AI systems that are free from ideological bias or agendas crafted by social engineering,” the executive order emphasized.
Certain AI tools in the past have faced widespread criticism for appearing to exhibit specific political biases. For example, Google’s AI model Gemini was once accused of displaying “anti-white bias”, drawing criticism from figures like Elon Musk.
Prior to this, Trump had announced other initiatives to bolster AI development in the United States. On his second day in office, he revealed that OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle were set to jointly invest $500 billion to establish a new company called “Stargate” in the U.S., focusing on building AI infrastructure.
Trump affirmed that the U.S. would retain the technology domestically, positioning China as a competitor.
Just hours before signing the order on Thursday, Trump emphasized at the World Economic Forum in Davos that “Stargate” was an example of the investments he was spearheading. Through a video message to attendees, he expressed his intention to “make America the superpower in manufacturing, AI, and cryptocurrencies”.
On Thursday, the Trump administration also announced the establishment of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) to drive innovation and competitiveness in critical and emerging technology sectors in the U.S.
PCAST will comprise up to 24 members, including top American scientists and technology experts from the industry, academia, and government. The team will provide the president with advice and evidence-based recommendations to stay abreast of the latest scientific and technological advancements and inform policymaking.