Over 10,000 comments have been submitted to the White House regarding its national AI policy, known as the AI Action Plan. The feedback, published by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in a comprehensive 18,480-page document, highlights a range of concerns that include copyright issues and the environmental impact of AI data centres. This influx of comments occurs amidst significant shifts in the U.S. government’s AI strategy under President Donald Trump.
In January, Trump annulled a previous executive order from former President Joe Biden that mandated the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create guidelines for identifying biases in AI models. Trump’s administration argued that the reporting requirements were burdensome, hindering innovation and requiring companies to reveal sensitive information. Subsequently, Trump issued a competing order focusing on advancing AI free from “ideological bias,” with an emphasis on economic growth and national security, while neglecting the anti-discrimination aspect of Biden’s directive.
Many respondents voiced their concerns regarding the implications of AI development. Some maintained that current AI practices exploit artists and creators whose works are used for training without fair compensation, urging the administration to strengthen copyright regulations. Conversely, others, such as the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, argued that rights holders are obstructing AI progress.
Major AI companies like Google and OpenAI have advocated for more favourable regulations concerning AI training in their previous inputs on the AI Action Plan. Additionally, several organisations, including Americans for Prosperity and the Future of Life Institute, highlighted the need for increased federal support for scientific research amid cuts to grants, particularly decried by experts in the AI field.
Critics of the administration’s tariffs on foreign imports also weighed in, cautioning that such measures might hinder domestic AI advancements. The Data Center Coalition warned that tariffs on essential infrastructure components could slow U.S. AI investments, while the Information Technology Industry Council recommended “smart” tariffs to protect domestic industries without escalating trade tensions.
The topic of “AI censorship,” a significant concern among Trump’s allies, was mentioned only briefly in the comments. Prominent figures like Elon Musk and David Sacks have claimed that popular AI systems unfairly censor conservative viewpoints, with Sacks specifically calling out ChatGPT for allegedly being deceptive about sensitive political topics.
As technical challenges such as bias in AI persist, the Trump administration is actively building its AI policy team. In March, Michael Kratsios, who previously concentrated on AI policy during Trump’s first term, was confirmed as the OSTP director, with Sriram Krishnan appointed as the White House’s senior AI policy advisor towards the end of last year.
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