🚨 AI Policy Alert: Trump’s New Executive Orders & Action Plan

What Business Leaders Need to Know

Last week, the Trump administration unveiled a sweeping new AI agenda, including three executive orders and a 28-page “America’s AI Action Plan.”

🔎 TL;DR

• Revokes key Biden-era AI oversight rules

• Bans “woke AI” in tools with federal contracts 

• Fast-tracks permits for AI infrastructure (data centers, etc.)

• Pushes U.S.-made AI tools for global adoption

Before I jump into concerns, there are a few pros, that tech companies will be excited about.

✅ PROS

There are a few bright spots—particularly for large tech players:

• Accelerated Innovation: Eased deployment pathways for AI in both enterprise and public-sector spaces

• Global Ambition: A clear stance to maintain U.S. dominance in the global AI race

That’s it. That’s the list.

❌ CONS

Infrastructure Without Accountability

While others may cite streamlined infrastructure permits as a win, it belongs on my risk list.

Why? Because many new AI-related facilities are landing in already underserved communities, straining resources and environmental protections with little oversight or inclusion.

Reduced Ethical Oversight

Stripping ethical guardrails will inevitably lead to AI misuse, algorithmic bias, and public harm. The 'war on woke' is not about neutrality—this fictitious battle will translate to AI systems that refuse to 'see color' or understand the differences and complexities of human experience.

This approach will cause more damage than the struggles we already face with everyday technology. Consider the automated soap dispensers and hand dryers in public restrooms that still fail to recognize darker skin tones. If we can't get basic sensors right after decades of development, imagine the harm when we actively strip nuance and cultural awareness from far more complex AI systems.

Market Fragmentation & False Neutrality

The federal government’s version of “neutral” AI may diverge from commercial and international standards, forcing developers into dual model tracks.

And who decides what is or isn’t “biased” when elected officials are actively rewriting history in real time? Is that not bias?•

👀 What to Watch

• Legal challenges from states or advocacy groups

• Corporate pressure to continue to refine “neutral” language without suppressing ethical frameworks

• Increasing tension between innovation and ethical accountability, especially in tools impacting hiring, housing, health, and policing

💡 Advice for Business Leaders

• Don’t wait for regulation to define your AI ethics, build your own internal accountability standards now

• Use this policy shift as a moment to audit your AI tools, especially those impacting decisions about people

• Speak up: Ethics isn’t soft, it’s strategy. The companies that do this well will lead both in trust and performance

Final Thought

You can move fast and still do the right thing.

If you're unsure where to begin or how to evolve your AI governance in light of these changes, let's chat,  I’m here to help.