Trump weighs reviewing AI models before public release
What's the story
The Trump administration is considering an executive order to establish a working group of tech executives and government officials to bring government oversight over new AI models. The move is aimed at exploring potential review procedures for new artificial intelligence (AI) models, The New York Times reported. This comes as a major shift from President Donald Trump's previous hands-off approach to the technology.
Industry briefing
Proposed plans briefed to executives from major tech firms
Senior administration officials have already briefed executives from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI about some of these proposed plans. The shift in strategy marks a stark contrast to Trump's earlier position as an advocate for unregulated AI development. He had even rolled back Biden-era safety evaluation requirements and dismissed regulation as a potential threat to US competitiveness with China.
Policy change
Shift in response to public concern and bipartisan congressional pressure
The policy shift comes amid growing public concern over the impact of AI on jobs, energy costs, education, and mental health. Bipartisan concern in Congress also appears to have contributed to this change. The immediate trigger was the emergence of a powerful new AI model called Mythos from San Francisco start-up Anthropic.
Security risks
Mythos's potential cybersecurity impact raises alarm
Mythos's ability to identify software security vulnerabilities has been described by Anthropic as potentially leading to a cybersecurity reckoning. The company has refused to release the model publicly. Administration officials are keen on avoiding political fallout from a major AI-enabled cyberattack and are also looking into whether advanced models could provide capabilities beneficial for the Pentagon and intelligence agencies.
Policy challenges
Leadership changes and legal battles complicate AI policy overhaul
The rethinking of AI policy comes amid a leadership shake-up within the Trump administration. David Sacks, the former White House AI czar who advocated for deregulation, quit in March. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have stepped in to play a more active role in shaping AI policy. Their efforts are complicated by an ongoing legal battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon over a $200 million contract and terms of military use of AI.