Will Trump’s AI Order Propel the U.S. Ahead or Widen Risks?

WASHINGTON D.C. — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order on artificial intelligence, reversing the policies of former President Joe Biden and initiating a new strategy focused on accelerating AI innovation free from "ideological bias."

The order, which aims to position the U.S. as a global leader in AI, directs federal agencies to review and suspend any Biden-era policies that Trump’s directive says hinder technological development. It calls for the creation of an action plan within 180 days, led by a newly appointed Special Advisor for AI and Crypto, venture capitalist David Sacks.

“We must develop AI systems that are free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas,” the executive order states.

The move follows Trump’s Monday repeal of Biden’s 2023 AI executive order, which had required transparency and safeguards in government use of AI systems to prevent discrimination and harm. Biden’s directive had mandated that companies building advanced AI models disclose system details before public deployment and established guardrails to address risks such as racial bias in facial recognition and misinformation in medical applications.

Trump’s administration argues these policies stifled private-sector innovation and threatened the country’s competitive edge. "The unnecessarily burdensome requirements under Biden’s order jeopardized American technological leadership,” said a statement from the White House.

Alondra Nelson, who served as acting director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Biden, criticized Trump’s order as “backward-looking,” adding that it risks undoing protections that “are already helping people.”

The executive order underscores a philosophical shift, prioritizing innovation and economic growth over the regulatory frameworks designed to protect against societal harms. Critics warn this could increase public exposure to biased or harmful AI systems.

Eric Gastfriend, executive director of the nonprofit Americans for Responsible Innovation, noted the move was consistent with Trump’s stated priorities. “Today’s executive order is a placeholder until the administration has a chance to develop a full strategy for executing that vision,” he said.

Trump’s approach also reflects alignment with advisors like Elon Musk, who have warned against what they term “woke AI” reflecting liberal ideologies. The order’s language on promoting “human flourishing” echoes rhetoric from Trump’s campaign to prioritize American leadership in AI development.

The rescission of Biden’s transparency requirements for tech companies removes a key component of regulatory oversight. This change could make it more difficult for federal agencies to address potential risks of advanced AI models, such as misinformation or discriminatory impacts.

Globally, the policy may heighten competition with countries like China in AI innovation, as the U.S. focuses on economic and strategic advancements. Domestically, however, the lack of regulatory safeguards has raised concerns about the implications for vulnerable populations and public trust in AI systems.