Trump Likely To Scrap Biden’s AI Safeguards, Lighten Regulation
President-elect Donald Trump rarely discussed artificial intelligence (AI) on the campaign trail, but he’s likely to have a profound impact — to Big Tech’s delight — with a series of actions soon.
In short order, Trump is expected to dismantle President Joe Biden’s executive order from a year ago, establishing oversight of AI development that requires companies to submit reports about AI training methodologies and security measures, including vulnerability testing data. And he’s poised to stanch AI regulation.
The order, which established the U.S. AI Safety Institute and empowered the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop guidance for companies to identify and fix flaws in their AI models, has been strongly opposed by Trump supporters on the grounds it stifles innovation. Newly re-elected Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called NIST’s AI safety standards an attempt to control speech through “woke” safety requirements.
Chris Hart, partner and co-chair of the privacy and data security practice group at law firm Foley Hoag, said he expects Trump to quickly scrap the executive order, which Trump considers red tape, and alleviate any regulatory pressure around AI.
