Trump Administration Unveils AI Action Plan to Deregulate and Propel Innovation
Trump's AI Action Plan focuses on deregulation and innovation, facing backlash for favoring corporate interests.
Key Points
- • The AI Action Plan consists of over 90 policy actions aimed at accelerating U.S. AI innovation.
- • Critics argue the plan prioritizes Big Tech interests over public safety and accountability.
- • David Sacks emphasizes the need for the U.S. to win the global AI race against China.
- • Concerns arise over the removal of regulatory guardrails meant to ensure safety in AI development.
On July 23, 2025, the Trump administration introduced a comprehensive 28-page AI Action Plan aimed at bolstering the United States' leadership in artificial intelligence. This initiative encompasses over 90 policy actions focused on accelerating innovation, enhancing AI infrastructure, and establishing U.S. technology as the global standard. Key officials, including David Sacks, the administration's AI czar, emphasized the urgency of this plan, framing it as essential to winning a global AI race, particularly against China. Sacks remarked, "We believe we're in an AI race, and we want the United States to win that race," highlighting a clear prioritization of national competitiveness in AI technology.
The strategy is built on three main pillars: deregulatory measures to reduce bureaucratic hurdles, the development of robust AI infrastructure, and the promotion of U.S. technology globally while ensuring federal contracts are awarded only to AI developers demonstrating objectivity without ideological bias. However, the plan has drawn significant criticism for allegedly favoring the interests of large technology corporations over the general public. Critics, such as Sarah Myers West from the AI Now Institute, stated, "The White House AI Action plan was written by and for tech billionaires, and will not serve the interests of the broader public."
The announcement follows Trump's controversial decision to rescind a previous executive order imposed by the Biden administration that aimed to introduce safety and security standards for AI within the federal government. Some former officials expressed concern that this deregulation could jeopardize public safety and trust in AI technologies. Jim Secreto cautioned, "Accelerating innovation is essential, but dismantling responsible guardrails risks turning America's AI revolution into a reckless gamble."
In an additional contentious move, the administration recently allowed Nvidia to resume the sale of high-end AI chips to China, raising alarms about potentially empowering a rival nation's technological advancements. The overall regulatory landscape also remains under scrutiny, with attempts to impose state-level AI regulations being recently voided during budget negotiations.
As the framework of the AI Action Plan continues to unfold, the balance between promoting innovation and ensuring public safety remains a contentious issue, setting the stage for ongoing legal and political debates about the future of AI regulation in the United States.