New White House AI Roadmap is a Win for Innovation and Accountability

Today, the Trump administration unveiled its new report for artificial intelligence (AI). Titled “Winning the AI Race: America’s AI Action Plan,” the document provides a comprehensive roadmap aimed at the promotion and development of the American AI industry.

The plan puts forward a largely light-touch approach that aims to bolster the AI industry and recognizes the role the technology will play in shaping the future of the country. The release of this agenda follows President Trump’s January Executive Order on Removing Barriers to American Leadership in AI, which called for removing “certain existing AI policies and directives that act as barriers to American AI innovation.”

In response to today’s release, Juan Londoño, Chief Regulatory Analyst of Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) offered the following comment:

“The new White House AI plan is a welcome and refreshing break from the previous administration’s heavy-handed approach to AI. It rejects alarmism and risk-aversion and ensures that the AI sector continues to grow and benefit taxpayers and consumers. The agenda laudably relies on deregulation, fostering a light-touch approach that encourages innovation and experimentation. Establishing regulatory sandboxes, launching a Request for Information regarding needless rules, and restraining reckless Federal Trade Commission actions will propel continued growth and innovation.

“Despite its laudable direction, TPA calls for caution regarding the plan’s focus on the federal government ‘investing’ (aka spending) taxpayer money in AI. Usually, federal ‘investments’ turn out to be wasteful and crowd out private innovation . Other critical technologies such as the internet blossomed without the need for heavy subsidization by the government. The digital domain has thrived because of a friendly regulatory environment that has allowed the private sector to flourish. This is the right approach for AI.

“Overall, TPA is encouraged by this plan and the administration’s commitment to a light-touch and pro-innovation approach to AI. If the federal government sticks to this plan without burdening taxpayers with runaway wasteful spending, the American AI industry will prosper and deliver for taxpayers and consumers.”