President Donald Trump scrapped a landmark executive order on artificial intelligence Thursday, abruptly pulling the plug on a plan that had been weeks in the making. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he feared the order would undermine America's competitive edge in the AI race. "We're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I don't want to do anything that's going to get in the way of that lead," he said. "I really thought [the order] could have been a blocker."
The abandoned executive order would have directed federal agencies to strengthen cybersecurity defenses and coordinate with leading AI companies on a voluntary basis to test advanced models before public release. The timing raised eyebrows. The move came less than two months after AI company Anthropic unveiled its Mythos Preview model, which demonstrated an unprecedented ability to autonomously discover thousands of severe and critical cyber vulnerabilities in major operating systems and web browsers.
Just the day before, Vice President JD Vance had emphasized the administration's commitment to safeguarding Americans against these emerging threats. "A bad actor could use Mythos to target various cybersecurity vulnerabilities," Vance said in a Wednesday news conference. He stressed that the administration was working collaboratively with tech companies to keep Americans safe. Anthropic has restricted Mythos access to a select group of companies and government agencies to help strengthen their defenses, rather than releasing it publicly.
The scrapped order represented a significant reversal. Trump had scheduled the signing for Thursday with major tech CEOs invited on short notice. Several prominent executives could not attend the hastily arranged event, according to sources familiar with the matter.
What the Order Would Have Done
The executive order was structured around two core pillars. The first focused on cybersecurity, requiring agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the White House's Office of the National Cyber Director to establish defenses against AI-fueled cyberattacks. The order would have also promoted the use of AI tools to strengthen critical infrastructure, including utilities and rural hospitals.
The second section aimed to formalize how the federal government oversees the most advanced AI models. Officials from multiple agencies would have worked to determine which AI systems should undergo voluntary pre-release testing. The order would have created a new framework for the government to evaluate cutting-edge models in partnership with leading AI companies before they reach the public.
The administration's reasoning centered on preserving American innovation. Tech executives and Trump administration officials have frequently cited stricter regulations like the European Union's AI Act as potential barriers to U.S. competitiveness. Trump has already moved to dismantle Biden's AI executive order, which required companies to disclose testing results and other development details to the government.
The administration has been quietly partnering with major AI companies through the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, housed within the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology. A recent announcement about expanded pre-deployment testing with Microsoft, Google, and xAI was removed from NIST's website shortly after being posted.
There is no indication when or if Trump will revive the order. The sudden cancellation raises questions about how the administration plans to balance innovation with national security concerns, particularly as AI systems grow more powerful and potentially more dangerous.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Trump's retreat on AI oversight looks less like principled deregulation and more like a panicked stumble right when cybersecurity threats are accelerating."
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