Trump pledges to reverse Biden’s AI policies amid global safety talks

The United States stands at a crossroads in artificial intelligence policy as President-elect Donald Trump announces plans to reverse President Biden’s AI executive orders, even as global safety talks commence in San Francisco.

The current landscape: President Biden’s administration has established comprehensive AI safety protocols and created the AI Safety Institute within the Commerce Department, setting standards for AI development and deployment.

• The executive order, signed in October 2023, implemented safety measures for AI use in both government and commercial applications
• Major tech companies including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have expressed support for Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s efforts to codify these safety measures
• The International Network of AI Safety Institutes meeting in San Francisco has drawn participation from numerous allies, including Canada, Kenya, Singapore, the UK, and the European Union

Trump’s position and promises: The President-elect’s stance on AI regulation reflects his broader deregulatory approach, though specific policy details remain unclear.

• Trump has characterized Biden’s executive order as “dangerous” and claims it hinders AI innovation while imposing “Radical Leftwing ideas”
• Despite criticism of current policies, Trump’s team has not outlined alternative approaches to AI governance
• Trump’s previous engagement with AI policy was limited during his first term, though he did sign an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize AI research and development

International perspective: Global leaders have emphasized the need for coordinated oversight of AI development.

• The AI Seoul Summit brought together representatives from ten countries and the EU, where companies like Meta and OpenAI committed to safety protocols
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned against allowing AI power to concentrate in the hands of a few entities or become beyond human control
• The U.S. has positioned itself as a leader in balancing AI innovation with accountability under the current administration

Industry response: The technology sector appears largely unmoved by the potential policy shift.

• Major tech companies continue to support current regulatory frameworks
• Heather West from the Center for European Policy Analysis suggests a bipartisan consensus exists regarding AI development and safety
• The AI Safety Institute’s work is expected to continue despite the change in administration

Looking ahead: While dramatic policy changes appear unlikely, the AI landscape has evolved significantly since Trump’s first term.

The rise of ChatGPT, NVIDIA’s advancement, and Apple’s massive AI investments have transformed the industry context, suggesting that any future policy changes will need to address a more complex and mature AI ecosystem than existed during Trump’s previous administration.