Donald Trump’s administration has accelerated the effort to remake the federal government’s approach to artificial intelligence. They are raising concerns about key issues like censorship and funding for federal research. Indeed, close confidants of the former president have already warned of impending “AI censorship.” This fear has only grown, particularly after claims from technology titans Elon Musk and David Sacks. They argue that widely used chatbots such as ChatGPT are biased against conservative opinions. Sacks weighs in on this as well, referring to the chatbot as “dishonest” on politically fraught issues.
The White House has so far collected over 10,000 public comments. These responses inform its national AI policy initiative, the state AI Action Plan. This announcement follows Trump’s recent undoing of Joe Biden’s AI Executive Order. That order had directed the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish guidelines for detecting and mitigating bias in AI models. Critics say that Trump’s new directives don’t offer a complete plan to fight AI discrimination. They argue that the reporting requirements would mandate the disclosure of companies’ trade secrets.
As part of his renewed focus on AI policy, Trump appointed Michael Kratsios as the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Powering innovation while addressing the ethical implications of AI will go hand-in-hand, and perhaps no one will be more central to crafting that framework than Kratsios. Further, Sriram Krishnan has reportedly been appointed the White House’s senior policy advisor for AI.
Trump’s unilateral tariffs on foreign-produced goods have created widespread concern among editorial pundits. They contend that these innovations might hinder growth in domestic AI technology. Specifically, the Information Technology Industry Council warned against escalating trade wars. Second, they loudly cautioned that tariffs intended to protect nascent domestic industries would eventually damage consumers.
In their comments, the Data Center Coalition expressed concern about proposals as they currently stand, saying they “will limit and slow” innovation in the sector. It’s no surprise that most major nonprofits are now clamoring for increased investments in AI research. Their joint message emphasizes that these investments are essential for keeping the United States competitive in an increasingly global economy.
Though many industries, including the technology sector, have increasingly lobbied against potential censorship and adverse effects on trade, Trump’s administration has refused to back down. The administration’s strategy appears to prioritize economic competitiveness alongside “human flourishing” and “national security,” according to President Trump’s order on AI policy.
Elon Musk’s xAI company has discovered the challenges in constructing a politically agnostic chatbot. This kind of situation illustrates the difficulties in producing technology that is novel and non-discriminatory. As conversations around censorship and bias grow, stakeholders are watching closely. They’re looking to understand how these conversations will shape the future of AI development here in America.
“protect domestic industries without escalating trade wars that harm consumers” – the Information Technology Industry Council
