Trump Quick to Repeal Biden’s AI Executive Order

On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump swiftly rescinded several executive orders issued by his predecessor, Joe Biden—including a landmark directive on artificial intelligence (AI).

Biden’s 2023 AI order had established safety and security standards, requiring AI developers to disclose critical safety test results to the government.

Trump, a vocal critic of the policy, argued that such regulations stifled innovation and economic growth.

The 2024 Republican platform echoed his stance, asserting that AI development should prioritise free speech and human progress over government oversight.

Standing alongside Trump at his inauguration were influential tech leaders, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Google’s Sundar Pichai, signalling strong industry support for his pro-business approach.

Meanwhile, US companies continue to expand their AI initiatives, with Microsoft’s plans to establish two AI centers in Abu Dhabi among the notable investments made in 2024.

Biden’s AI Executive Order

Biden’s October 2023 executive order on AI aimed to establish a comprehensive framework addressing six key areas, including ethical AI use in government, citizen privacy protections, and consumer data security.

The order introduced corporate reporting requirements and leveraged guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to help companies identify biases and flaws in AI language models.

Critics have expressed concern over Trump’s recent repeal of the order.

Alondra Nelson, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, warned that without a well-considered alternative, the decision could be “self-defeating for our country.”

She added:

“This will leave the American public unprotected from the risks and harms of AI and, therefore, unable to take up the benefits it might bring.”

Meanwhile, Alexander Nowrasteh, an analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute, noted that parts of the order—such as provisions easing AI worker immigration—should have been retained, lamenting that conservative advocates for skilled immigration had “lost.”

In its final days, the Biden administration also proposed capping AI semiconductor exports to all but 18 allied nations, a move that drew sharp criticism from the tech industry, which argued it would hinder innovation and weaken US leadership in the global AI race.