President Donald Trump has unveiled a comprehensive “AI Action Plan” that aims to accelerate American AI development while removing regulatory barriers and promoting “objective truth” in AI systems. The 28-page document, released Wednesday ahead of Trump’s appearance at a Washington DC tech event, establishes three core pillars: accelerating AI innovation, building American AI infrastructure, and leading international AI diplomacy and security.
What you should know: The plan seeks to fundamentally reshape how the US approaches AI regulation and development through aggressive deregulation and federal adoption.
- Trump is expected to sign related executive orders this week to implement the plan’s key provisions.
- The administration wants to create a “try-first” culture for AI across American industry to encourage greater uptake of AI tools.
- Federal agencies, including the Armed Forces, are encouraged to “aggressively” adopt AI technologies.
Key policy changes: The plan targets specific regulatory and ideological barriers that the Trump administration views as hindering AI progress.
- Federal risk management guidance would be stripped of “references to misinformation, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and climate change.”
- The government would be prohibited from contracting with large language model developers unless they “ensure that their systems are objective and free from top-down ideological bias” — though this standard remains undefined.
- States could lose AI-related federal funding if their regulations “hinder the effectiveness of that funding or award,” effectively reviving a failed congressional AI law moratorium.
Infrastructure and energy focus: The administration plans to slash regulations that slow critical AI infrastructure development.
- Rules limiting data center construction and semiconductor manufacturing facilities would be reduced.
- Power grid expansion would be prioritized to support “energy-intensive industries of the future.”
- The plan calls for rejecting “radical climate dogma and bureaucratic red tape” to win the AI race.
International strategy: The plan balances promoting US AI globally while maintaining restrictions on adversaries.
- The administration recently lifted some restrictions on Nvidia, a leading AI chip manufacturer, selling advanced AI chips to Chinese companies.
- However, the plan recommends addressing “gaps in semiconductor manufacturing export controls” to prevent technology transfer to foreign adversaries.
- US AI tools would be disseminated internationally as part of diplomatic efforts.
What they’re saying: Top administration officials frame the initiative as critical to national security and economic competitiveness.
- “The opportunity that stands before us is both inspiring and humbling,” write AI czar David Sacks, science advisor Michael Kratsios, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the plan’s introduction.
Additional priorities: The plan addresses workforce transitions and emerging security challenges.
- Workers would be “rapidly retrained” to help them “thrive in an AI-driven economy” as AI alters job demands.
- Biosecurity investments would increase as AI accelerates drug discovery and disease research.
- New legal frameworks would be developed to combat deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation.
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