The Trump administration published its much-anticipated AI Action Plan on Wednesday, a document that takes a sharp shift away from former President Biden’s cautious approach to addressing the risks of AI, and instead barrels ahead with plans to build out AI infrastructure, cut red tape for tech companies, shore up national security, and compete with China.
The downstream effects of this shift will likely ripple throughout various industries and may even be felt by the average American consumer. For instance, the AI Action Plan downplays efforts to mitigate possible harms of AI and instead prioritizes building out data centers to power the AI industry, even if it means using federal lands or keeping them powered during critical energy grid periods.
Much of its effects, however, will depend on how the AI Action Plan is executed, and many of those details have yet to be sorted. The AI Action Plan is more blueprint for action than a step-by-step instruction book. But the direction is clear: progress is king.
The Trump administration positions this as the only way to “usher in a new golden age of human flourishing.” Its goal is to convince the American public that spending billions of taxpayer dollars on building data centers is in their best interest. Parts of the plan also include policy suggestions around upskilling workers and partnering with local governments to create jobs related to working in data centers.
“To secure our future, we must harness the full power of American innovation,” Trump said in a statement. “To do that, we will continue to reject radical climate dogma and bureaucratic red tape, as the Administration has done since Inauguration Day. Simply put, we need to ‘Build, Baby, Build!’”
The AI Action Plan is authored by the Trump administration’s team of technology and AI specialists, many of whom come from Silicon Valley companies. This includes Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Marco Rubio. More than 10,000 interest groups submitted public comments that were considered for the plan.
Deregulation and bringing back the AI moratorium
At the start of this month, the Senate removed a controversial provision in the budget bill that would bar states from regulating AI for 10 years. That provision, if it had been included in the bill, would tie states’ federal broadband funding to compliance with the moratorium.
Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW
It appears that matter hasn’t been put to rest yet, as the AI Action Plan explores a new way to hinder states from regulating AI. As part of a broader mission to “unleash prosperity through deregulation,” the administration threatens to limit states’ federal funding based on their AI regulations.
... continue reading