In a dramatic announcement that could redefine the future of tech policy in the U.S., President Donald Trump rolled out an aggressive new strategy to ensure America wins the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, especially against its top rival, China.
Claims of Donald Trump in the summit regarding AI
Speaking at the “Winning the AI Race” summit in Washington, D.C., Donald signed multiple executive orders and unveiled a sweeping 25-page document titled the “America’s AI Action Plan.” The plan centers on three key pillars: accelerating innovation, building national AI infrastructure, and asserting global leadership—even if it means cutting through environmental regulations and legal norms.
“America is the country that started the AI race, and he is here to declare we’re going to win it,” Trump told a cheering audience, likening the challenge to the Cold War-era space race.
At the heart of the plan is a promise to deregulate the AI sector, removing what Trump described as “red tape” that stifles innovation. Federal agencies have been directed to block states from creating their own AI rules, with Trump insisting on a single national standard.
States that resist could even lose federal support—a move civil liberties advocates warn could roll back protections against algorithmic bias in education, healthcare, and policing.
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“This industry of the future cannot have 50 sets of rules,” Trump said. “It needs one vision, one voice, and one flag.”
In an unusually direct appeal to Silicon Valley, Trump called for a “new spirit of patriotism and loyalty,” criticizing tech giants for outsourcing jobs and profiting abroad while enjoying the freedoms of the American system. Organizations that want government contracts must ensure their AI systems are “free from ideological bias” and avoid what the administration terms “social engineering agendas,” such as diversity and inclusion.
Proposal for immunity from copyright claims
The plan also proposes immunity from copyright claims for AI training data, simplifying content use and shielding developers from lawsuits. Trump considered it “common sense” in a world driven by innovation.
Plan for fast-track construction of energy-intensive data centers
Meanwhile, the strategy encourages fast-track construction of energy-intensive data centers, even if it means bypassing environmental reviews. It explicitly promotes coal and nuclear energy as essential power sources, ignoring global warnings about climate change.
Critics seem to be criticizing the plan
Critics, and environmental and civil rights groups, have not shown any appreciation for the plan as a corporate handout that endangers both democratic safeguards and ecological balance.
“It’s a Gilded Age tech fantasy, not a responsible roadmap,” warned Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity.