Executive Order 14179, titled "Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence", is an executive order signed by Donald Trump, the 47th President of the United States, on January 23, 2025. The order initiates a process to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence, promote AI development free from ideological bias or social agendas, and establish an action plan to maintain global AI dominance. It revokes or rescinds policies that conflict with these goals, particularly those from the previous administration.
The order directly responds to Executive Order 14110, signed by Joe Biden on October 30, 2023, which had established federal oversight and safety guidelines for AI development. Trump rescinded that order on his first day in office via the Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions, and the January 23 order serves as its replacement, setting a new direction for U.S. AI policy.
Background
Joe Biden's Executive Order 14110
In October 2023, the Biden administration issued Executive Order 14110, titled "Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence". It was the first comprehensive federal AI policy, requiring safety assessments, civil rights guidance, and research investments. It directed agencies to develop standards for AI testing, address algorithmic discrimination, and protect privacy. The order also mandated reporting on AI's economic impacts and established a White House AI Council.
Donald Trump's Rescission and Replacement
On January 20, 2025, Trump signed the Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions, which revoked Executive Order 14110 among other Biden-era policies. Three days later, on January 23, he signed Executive Order 14179 to replace it. The new order emphasizes removing "ideological bias" and "social agendas" from AI development, a shift from the previous focus on safety and equity.
Provisions
Executive Order 14179 revokes existing AI policies and directives that are seen as barriers to U.S. AI innovation. It mandates the creation of an action plan within 180 days to sustain U.S. AI leadership, focusing on human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security. The order requires a review of all policies, directives, and regulations related to Executive Order 14110 to identify actions that may conflict with the new policy goals.
Agencies are instructed to suspend, revise, or rescind actions from the previous executive order that are inconsistent with the new policy. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must revise certain memoranda (M-24-10 and M-24-18) within 60 days to align with the new policy. The order specifies that it does not create new enforceable rights or benefits and should be implemented within the boundaries of existing law and appropriations.
Implementation
The National Science and Technology Council's Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) program, on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), requested public input on the development of an AI Action Plan by March 15, 2025. This solicitation invited stakeholders to comment on how to advance U.S. leadership in AI, including topics like infrastructure, innovation, and national security.
Reactions
Over 10,000 public comments were submitted in response to the OSTP request for public input. Major AI companies, including OpenAI and Google DeepMind (via its parent Alphabet), submitted detailed recommendations.
OpenAI proposed a five-point strategy focusing on regulatory preemption, export controls, copyright protections, infrastructure investment, and government adoption. The company emphasized the ability to learn from copyrighted material to maintain America's lead against China's state-controlled AI efforts, such as DeepSeek. They argued that restrictive copyright rules would hinder innovation and benefit foreign competitors.
Google advocated for a three-pronged plan that invests in domestic AI development through energy infrastructure reform, balanced export controls, continued research funding, and coherent federal policies. They also called for modernizing government AI adoption and promoting innovation-friendly approaches internationally. Both OpenAI and Google urged the White House to oppose foreign copyright and transparency obligations, for example in the UK Government's preferred option in their Copyright and AI consultation.
Impact and Significance
The order signals a significant shift in U.S. AI policy, moving from a precautionary approach to a promotion-first strategy. It aligns with broader efforts to reduce regulatory burdens on technology companies and to counter China's AI ambitions. The action plan, due within 180 days, is expected to shape federal AI investments, procurement, and research priorities. The order also affects international AI governance, as the U.S. may resist global regulations that impose transparency or copyright restrictions.
See Also
References
- Full text of Executive Order 14179 via whitehouse.gov
- Federal Register publication
- AI.Gov