Introduction
On July 23, 2025, President Donald Trump revealed his long-anticipated “AI Action Plan,” a sweeping policy roadmap that marks a new era for American artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. The plan aims to propel the United States to global leadership in AI by aggressively slashing regulations deemed burdensome and by vowing to eliminate what the administration describes as “ideological bias” in major AI systems.
Key Pillars of the AI Action Plan
The initiative is structured around three central objectives:
- Accelerating Innovation: Removing what the White House calls “red tape” to create a more favorable environment for Silicon Valley and U.S.-based AI developers.
- Building American AI Infrastructure: Fast-tracking permits for AI data centers and semiconductor manufacturing and launching new workforce investments.
- Leading in International AI Diplomacy and Security: Pushing for the adoption of American-developed AI hardware, models, and standards globally, especially among allies.
The plan encompasses over 90 policy actions, signaling a comprehensive and aggressive approach to reshaping AI governance in the U.S..
Deregulation: Striking Down the Previous Order
Trump’s move represents a sharp break from the prior Biden administration’s approach, which imposed export restrictions on AI chips and placed significant emphasis on AI safety, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) guidelines in technology policy. Trump’s first act upon returning to the White House was to rescind these measures by executive order, claiming they stifled innovation and placed unnecessary constraints on U.S. companies.
The new plan proposes:
- Eliminating Federal and State Regulations: A crackdown on what Trump and his advisors describe as “innovation-killing” federal and state-level AI laws, with a particular focus on rolling back DEI and climate provisions attached to AI and semiconductor projects.
- Modernizing Permits: Fast-tracking approvals for power-intensive data centers and chip fabs to ensure America can meet surging AI infrastructure demands.
- Blocking State-level Barriers: The plan anticipates withholding federal funding from states that enact what the White House deems excessively restrictive AI regulations.
The Mission to Combat ‘Bias’ in AI
One of the most controversial aspects of Trump’s strategy is a robust push to neutralize perceived ideological bias in large language and generative AI models.
Key points include:
- Federal Procurement Standards: The government will contract only with AI vendors who guarantee their models are “objective and free of ideological bias,” a standard that experts note remains vaguely defined.
- Overhauling Guidelines: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is directed to remove references to “misinformation,” diversity, inclusion, and climate change from federal AI risk management frameworks.
- Addressing ‘Woke AI’: Trump’s advisors specifically cited concerns that some AI systems embed liberal or left-leaning values, echoing prior Republican efforts to combat perceived bias on social media platforms.
White House AI czar David Sacks stated,
“We believe AI systems must be truth-seeking and trustworthy, not tools for social engineering or top-down agendas”.
Global Competition and Export Strategy
With the U.S.-China rivalry over technology intensifying, Trump’s plan leans heavily on exporting American AI to friendly nations. The blueprint calls for new public-private partnerships to deliver U.S.-made chips, models, and software overseas. The administration intends to make American technology the “global standard” and will scrutinize Chinese AI models for alignment with state-driven censorship.
Backlash and Open Questions
The plan has received mixed reactions:
- Industry Applause: Tech companies and venture capitalists see an opportunity for deregulation-fueled expansion and reduced compliance burdens.
- Civil Liberties Concerns: Critics warn the “anti-bias” provisions could lead to censorship or the marginalization of minority voices, while the elimination of DEI efforts has drawn fire from advocacy groups.
- Enforcement Ambiguity: Who will determine what constitutes bias—government regulators or third parties—remains unsettled.
- Innovation vs. Oversight: Some experts fear that rushing data center buildouts and rolling back environmental and safety reviews could have unforeseen consequences.
Conclusion: A New Chapter for American AI
Trump’s AI Action Plan marks a pivotal shift, prioritizing unfettered corporate innovation and an aggressive stance against so-called “woke” AI, with the aim of securing American leadership in one of the defining technologies of the century. As executive orders are signed and new guidelines rolled out, the U.S. now stands at the forefront of a global debate: Should AI be governed primarily by the pursuit of innovation and national security, or by the guardrails of inclusivity and oversight? The world will be watching as America embarks on its boldest AI experiment yet.