AI Policy in the Trump Era: Repealing Safeguards

Reconsidering the Biden Blueprint

President Trump's decision to repeal his predecessor's AI policy has sparked uncertainty about the future of AI regulation. Despite concerns expressed by tech industry insiders, the new administration has remained silent on its plans.

"I think the previous order had a lot in it," said CEO Alexandr Wang of AI company Scale, referring to Biden's 2023 executive order on AI. Wang, however, declined to specify which aspects he found harmful.

A New Era for AI Collaboration

Despite the repeal, Wang remains optimistic about future developments. He and other Silicon Valley leaders believe Trump can guide AI policy in a more cooperative direction.

"Trump's team has already set the tone for a very productive administration," said Wang. "There is a lot of deep collaboration between industry and government."

Biden's Legacy and the Rescission

Alexandra Reeve Givens, CEO of the Center for Democracy & Technology, believes that Biden's order set the stage for future AI development.

"The executive order's work is completed, whether or not it's rescinded," said Givens. "The reports generated by the Biden administration are informing the private sector, federal agencies, and state governments."

Safeguarding Concerns

One key provision of Biden's order that is now void required tech companies to share details of their AI models with the government before they are released publicly.

Former Biden administration officials have expressed concerns about Trump's actions, arguing that it could undermine safeguards against potential AI harms.

The Path Forward

Trump has not yet taken a position on Biden's conflict with the tech industry over AI chip exports or his most recent executive order on AI data centers.

At a press conference, Trump seemed unaware of Biden's latest order but indicated support for the concept of data center expansion on federal lands.