The Trump administration has unveiled a sweeping roadmap to develop artificial intelligence, pledging to boost US innovation while stripping away what it calls “bureaucratic red tape” and “ideological bias”.
The 28-page AI Action Plan outlines more than 90 policy actions for the rapidly developing technology that administration officials say can be implemented over the next year.
“We believe we’re in an AI race, and we want the United States to win that race,” Trump administration crypto czar David Sacks told reporters.
The AI plan promises to build data centre infrastructure, and promote American technology – but was panned by critics who consider it an ideological flex by the White House.
The plan also calls for federal agencies to review and repeal policies that stand in the way of AI development, and encourage AI in both government and the private sector.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign three related executive orders on Wednesday. One order will promote the international export of US-developed AI technologies, while another aims to root out what the administration describes as “woke” or ideologically biased AI systems.
“American development of AI systems must be free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas,” the White House said. “With the right government policies, the United States can solidify its position as the leader in AI and secure a brighter future for all Americans.”
Crypto czar Sacks added that the plan is partially focused on preventing AI technology from being “misused or stolen by malicious actors” and will “monitor for emerging and unforeseen risks from AI”.
The Trump administration has positioned the expansion of AI infrastructure and investments in the United States as a way to stay ahead of China.
“AI is a revolutionary technology that’s going to have profound ramifications for both the economy and national security,” Sacks said. “It’s just very important that America continues to be the dominant power in AI.”
But critics argued that the plan was a giveaway to Big Tech.
“The White House AI Action plan was written by and for tech billionaires, and will not serve the interests of the broader public,” said Sarah Myers West, co-executive director of the AI Now Institute.
“[T]he administration’s stance prioritizes corporate interests over the needs of everyday people who are all already being affected by AI,” West added.
In 2023, Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, signed an executive order that called for safety and security standards governing the use of AI in the federal government – an order that was rescinded by Trump on the first day he took office in January.
Days later, Trump signed an executive order that called for an accelerated AI development, the removal of ideological bias and today’s AI action plan, for which it sought public comment.
Officials say the plan unveiled Wednesday was shaped by more than 10,000 public comments.
A former Biden administration official told the BBC that Trump’s plan abandoned safeguards that helped protect American national security and public trust.
“Accelerating innovation is essential, but dismantling responsible guardrails risks turning America’s AI revolution into a reckless gamble,” said Jim Secreto, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Biden’s Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
“Promoting aggressive AI exports without reasonable controls strengthens China’s hand,” Secreto added.
Last month, Trump allowed US technology giant Nvidia to resume sales of its high-end artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China, reversing his administration’s prior ban on sales of Nvidia’s H20 chips to Beijing.
AI regulation was also a major sticking point in recent negotiations about Trump’s massive budget bill passed by Congress earlier this month.
The bill originally included a ten-year moratorium barring states from regulating artificial intelligence.
Lawmakers ultimately stripped that language from the bill.
By BBC News
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