The new plan accelerates innovation to compete with China but includes a controversial order requiring AI to be "ideologically neutral," raising free speech concerns.
The Trump administration has unveiled a new AI Action Plan designed to accelerate innovation and help the US compete with China. While largely welcomed by the tech industry for its pro-growth focus, the plan includes a controversial executive order aimed at preventing "woke AI," sparking alarm over government attempts to dictate how AI models handle political topics.
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The 23-page plan gives the AI industry much of what it desires, prioritizing accelerated development over addressing risks like model safety or job loss. President Trump signed executive orders to speed up the federal permitting process for new data centers and power plants and to promote the export of American technology. During a speech attended by tech leaders like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Trump called for doing "whatever it takes" to win the AI race.
However, the plan contains a potential "time bomb" for tech companies. A related executive order, "Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government," insists that any AI model used by a federal agency must promote "ideological neutrality." Critics argue this is a vague and weaponizable standard. The Center for Democracy and Technology warned, "Demanding that developers refrain from 'ideological bias'... is an impossible, vague standard that the Administration will be able to weaponize for its own ideological ends."
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In his speech, Trump also signaled support for other key industry wishes not explicitly detailed in the plan. He advocated for a single federal standard for AI regulation, stating, "we need to have a single federal standard, not 50 states," to avoid hold-ups. He also nodded to the industry's desire to train AI models on copyrighted content without needing permission from or compensating creators.
The new AI Action Plan follows the cancellation of a Biden-era policy that was more heavily focused on managing AI's risks. This shift towards rapid innovation is framed as essential for competing with China. The administration's push for "neutrality" also follows recent efforts by political figures, such as the Missouri attorney general, to investigate and crack down on chatbots that produce results critical of Donald Trump.
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The Trump administration's AI strategy presents a dual-edged sword for the tech industry: it offers significant support for growth and a favorable regulatory environment while simultaneously introducing a contentious requirement for ideological control over AI outputs. The next steps will involve federal agencies attempting to define and enforce "neutrality," setting up potential conflicts between tech firms and a government eager to promote its agenda.
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