Trump Unveils AI Action Plan, Challenges Copyright Norms for Tech Development
Trump Unveils AI Action Plan, Challenges Copyright Norms for Tech Development
Donald Trump has unveiled a new White House AI Action Plan, simultaneously advocating for a significant shift in intellectual property rights concerning artificial intelligence development. Speaking at an AI Summit on Wednesday, Trump asserted that AI companies cannot realistically be expected to compensate for every piece of copyrighted content used in their training models, labeling such a requirement as “not do-able.”
Trump’s remarks come amidst escalating debate over AI’s use of copyrighted material, with numerous lawsuits filed against AI firms by content creators and major studios. He called for “common sense artificial and intellectual property rules,” emphasizing the need for the U.S. to avoid falling behind nations like China, which have less stringent IP protections. “You can’t be expected to have a successful AI program when every single article, book or whatever you’ve studied you’re expected to pay for,” Trump stated, drawing a parallel to how individuals acquire knowledge without violating copyright.
The newly released AI Action Plan prioritizes bolstering America’s AI capabilities, including investment in data centers and infrastructure, while actively seeking to reduce regulatory hurdles. This approach contrasts with that of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, whose administration focused more on ensuring the safety and ethical development of AI technology.
Key recommendations within the Trump White House plan include updating federal procurement guidelines to ensure government contracts are only awarded to large language model (LLM) developers whose systems are objective and free from “top-down ideological bias.” The plan also suggests revising the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework to remove references to misinformation, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and climate change, asserting a need for AI procured by the federal government to “objectively reflect truth rather than social engineering agendas.”
Notably absent from the comprehensive plan, however, are specific guidelines addressing the contentious issue of copyright, despite ongoing legal challenges from content creators. This omission stands in stark relief to recent legislative efforts, such as the bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on Monday, which would mandate consent from individuals for the use of their content and data in AI system development. Trump’s speech clearly signaled opposition to such a consent-based approach.
While the plan de-emphasizes safety compared to the previous administration, it does acknowledge the risks posed by deepfakes, citing the recently passed Take It Down Act. It also stresses the importance of establishing a “single federal standard” for AI regulation, pushing back against what it deems “burdensome AI regulations” at the state level. This stance drew swift criticism from California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, which argued the plan “threatens to defund states like California with strong laws against AI-generated child porn.”
The AI Action Plan underscores a strategic pivot towards accelerating American AI innovation, even if it means re-evaluating long-standing intellectual property norms to achieve a competitive edge on the global stage.
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