As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, the landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed dramatically since his first term. With the rapid advancements in AI technology, some of the field’s top figures, including Elon Musk and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, predict AI could surpass human intelligence by 2026, while OpenAI’s Sam Altman has suggested that superintelligence may emerge in a few thousand days.
This rapidly evolving technology is poised to have significant implications for national security, the economy, and global power dynamics. Trump himself has expressed both admiration and concern about AI. In a June interview on Logan Paul’s podcast, he called AI a “superpower” with “alarming” capabilities. Like many in Washington, Trump views the development of AI through the lens of competition with China, which he considers the primary threat in the race for advanced AI.
However, there is a divide among Trump’s allies regarding the governance of AI. Musk has long warned of AI’s potential existential risks, while J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, sees such concerns as a tactic to push for regulations that would benefit large tech companies. These differing views will likely influence the direction of AI policy during Trump’s second term.
Undoing Biden’s AI Legacy
One of Trump’s first actions on AI is expected to be repealing President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on AI, signed in October 2023. The order sought to address AI’s potential risks to civil rights, privacy, and national security, while also fostering innovation and competition. Trump has pledged to overturn this order, calling it an obstacle to innovation and accusing it of promoting “radical leftwing ideas.”
Dan Hendrycks, executive director of the Center for AI Safety, notes that sections of the order addressing racial discrimination and inequality may not align with Trump’s priorities. While some experts have expressed concern about rolling back protections against bias, Hendrycks believes Trump may preserve other elements of the order, particularly those focused on national security. Samuel Hammond, senior economist at the Foundation for American Innovation, suggests that Trump could build on Biden’s approach to national security by expanding the Department of Homeland Security’s work on AI-related cybersecurity and safety risks.
The future of the U.S. AI Safety Institute (AISI), established under Biden to lead AI safety efforts, remains uncertain. While some within Trump’s camp may see the institute as an impediment to innovation, Hammond argues that most Republicans view the AISI as a valuable part of America’s leadership in AI.
As AI continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the policies implemented during Trump’s second term could play a pivotal role in shaping the technology’s future and its broader societal impact.
