Here’s the Executive Order on AI That Gave Trump Cold Feet

https://gizmodo.com/heres-the-executive-order-on-ai-that-gave-trump-cold-feet-2000762751

Publish Date: 2026-05-22 17:10:00

Source Domain: gizmodo.com

• Draft Executive Order on AI Safeguards: The draft executive order by President Trump aimed to create a framework for AI companies to voluntarily provide the federal government access to frontier AI models for up to 90 days before their wider release for cybersecurity purposes.

• Leaks and Controversy: The framework was largely voluntary, but leaks raised questions about industry concerns, notably the risk of the voluntary process becoming mandatory, which could slow innovation and benefit foreign competitors like China.

• Industry Representation Issues: Reports suggest the order’s withdrawal was due to top AI CEOs not attending the signing, instead sending lower-level executives, prompting concerns over representation and the influence of industry concerns brought by the AI Czar.

• Hands-off Regulatory Approach: This move is consistent with Trump’s larger hands-off regulatory posture toward AI, as seen in previous actions that reduced state regulations and only one significant action against an AI firm (Anthropic).

• Calls for Oversight: Despite this laissez-faire stance, some conservative leaders, including Steve Bannon, urged Trump to sign the order, advocating for more government oversight of potentially dangerous frontier AI models.

• Order Highlights: The order prioritizes upgrading America’s cybersecurity systems, creating a voluntary framework for developers to share frontier AI models before public release, and enhancing the enforcement against criminal use of AI to breach systems and access unauthorized data.

Here’s the Executive Order on AI That Gave Trump Cold Feet

https://gizmodo.com/heres-the-executive-order-on-ai-that-gave-trump-cold-feet-2000762751

Publish Date: 2026-05-22 17:10:00

Source Domain: gizmodo.com

Here are the key points from the article on the draft executive order regarding AI safeguards:

– The draft executive order proposed a framework where AI companies would voluntarily give the federal government access to their frontier AI models 90 days before release, to strengthen cybersecurity of critical infrastructure. However, it was not signed by President Trump.

– The plan was largely voluntary, and the draft emphasized that it would not result in mandatory governmental review or licensing for AI model development.

– Trump initially decided not to sign the order, seemingly echoing concerns raised by AI Czar David Sacks that the review process might slow innovation and give China an edge in AI, and fearing the voluntary framework could become mandatory.

– The Trump administration had generally taken a hands-off approach to regulating AI, until designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk earlier this year after the startup refused Pentagon use of its tech for autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance.

– Despite the federal oversight vacuum, AI companies are lobbying for their preferred state laws. However, some conservatives including Steve Bannon urged Trump to sign the executive order for more government oversight of frontier AI models which they deem “potentially dangerous”.”