Trump Signs Executive Order Promoting Federal AI Development
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday directing federal agencies to “prioritize investments” in artificial intelligence R&D. The American Artificial Intelligence Initiative promotes long-term research, access to federal data, novel AI applications and AI skills training for the federal workforce.
The initiative calls for establishing federal agency guidance for AI development and directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create technical and safety standards. Officials have cited a need to maintain the U.S. lead in AI R&D over competitors like China.
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., looks forward to working with Trump “to guarantee AI is fueled by American innovation, while protecting consumer data privacy and American values.” Continued innovation is critical, said House Consumer Protection Subcommittee ranking member Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., citing links among diplomatic, military and economic power. The U.S. must “actively engage so that [AI technology] does not become a threat to our national and economic security interests,” said House Homeland Security Ranking Member Mike Rogers, R-Ala.
The White House’s list of attendees included adviser Ivanka Trump, Deputy Chief of Staff-Policy Coordination Chris Liddell, Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Kelvin Droegemeier, Deputy Assistant to the President-Technology Policy Michael Kratsios, White House Information Technology Director Roger Stone, OSTP Principal Assistant Director-National Security Jack Wilmer and OSTP Assistant Director-AI Lynne Parker. National Science Foundation Director France Cordova, Department of Energy Science Undersecretary Paul Dabbar, DOD Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy, Federal Chief Information Officer Suzette Kent and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Director Steven Walker were also listed.
OSTP alluded to last week's State of the Union speech in a tweet, citing Trump's commitment to “ensuring American leadership in the Industries of the Future.” Trump said in the SOTU (see 1902060002) that he’s eager to work on “legislation to deliver new and important infrastructure investment, including investments in the cutting edge industries of the future. This is not an option. This is a necessity.” The White House called AI, advanced manufacturing, quantum information science and 5G “key technologies.”
Center for Data Innovation Director Daniel Castro said the initiative will help the U.S. “keep pace with China’s progress” in AI. The administration should ask Congress for “significant” AI research funding hikes, support “light-touch regulation” for AI and “resist calls to implement roadblocks” for the technology like export restrictions, Castro said.