Trump says fewer regulations needed to win the AI race

The Trump White House intends to get rid of regulations that artificial intelligence developers see as hindering innovation — including measures related to boosting diversity, equity and inclusion, and curbing climate change.

The push is part of a wide-ranging action plan aimed at ensuring the United States dominates the global AI industry. President Donald Trump will speak about the plan later on Wednesday, and sign several executive orders related to AI.

"We believe we're in an AI race — it's a global competition now to lead in artificial intelligence, and we want the United States to win that race," said David Sacks, Trump's top adviser on AI and crypto.

In total, there will be more than 90 policy actions taken in the coming year, said Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy — though details on many of those actions are still in development, and will rely on input from the AI industry and others.

Kratsios told reporters that federal procurement rules will be changed to allow only AI platforms deemed free from "ideological bias" such as DEI initiatives.

He said "red tape" and regulations are limiting AI development for financial services, agriculture, health and transportation. "We cannot afford to go down Europe's innovation-killing regulatory path," Kratsios said.

While the Biden administration focused on limiting some of the risks posed by AI, the Trump administration has been making the case for months that less regulation was a big part of its vision on the technology. Back in February, Vice President Vance emphasized that point at a global AI summit in France.

"We need international regulatory regimes that fosters the creation of AI technology rather than strangles it. And we need our European friends, in particular, to look to this new frontier with optimism rather than trepidation," Vance said. At that summit, the United States, along with the United Kingdom, refused to sign onto the gathering's declaration for inclusive and sustainable AI practices.

The White House wants to streamline permits for data centers and semiconductor plants and the energy that powers them. It will roll back some of the Biden administration's rules for subsidies for semiconductor plants related to DEI and climate requirements, officials said.

The White House also plans to provide financing from the Development Finance Corporation and Export-Import Bank to boost use of American-developed AI abroad, though details were not immediately provided.
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