• US aims to export full AI ecosystem to allies, tighten chip controls and shape global governance in line with American interests
• Plan orders review of rules seen as hindering AI and revises standards to remove references to DEI, misinformation and climate change

ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump rolled out his administration’s “AI Action Plan” on Wednesday, a sweeping policy blueprint that promises to cement America’s dominance in artificial intelligence (AI).

The 23-page document, titled “Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan,” presents AI as a strategic priority and outlines steps to accelerate domestic innovation, expand infrastructure and promote international cooperation aligned with US interests.

The plan follows an executive order signed by Trump on Jan. 23 and reflects the administration’s broad push to reduce regulatory barriers and increase investment in AI-related technologies. Officials involved in drafting the strategy include AI and crypto advisor David Sacks and Secretary of State and acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio.

“Winning the AI Race is non-negotiable,” Rubio said in a statement, noting the plan’s “clear-cut policy goals set expectations for the Federal Government to ensure America sets the technological gold standard worldwide, and that the world continues to run on American technology.”

Tearing through red tape

The plan’s first pillar targets what it sees as regulatory overreach. It calls for a government-wide review to “identify, revise, or repeal regulations, rules, memoranda…and interagency agreements that unnecessarily hinder Al development or deployment.”

At the heart of this approach is a sharp turn away from regulatory caution and social oversight. The White House wants to realign AI systems with “American values” by directing agencies to “eliminate references to misinformation, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and climate change” from federal standards. In particular, it orders revisions to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, the government’s flagship AI safety protocol.

The plan also emphasizes open-source AI as a tool for embedding US standards globally. Federal procurement guidelines are to be updated so agencies work only with developers of large language models that are “objective and free from top-down ideological bias,” according to the document.

Addressing the potential labor market impact of AI, the strategy supports employer-led training programs. It proposes tax-free reimbursement for AI-related workforce training and encourages private-sector investment in skills development

Build, baby, build

The second pillar is infrastructure. The plan prioritizes construction of data centers and energy facilities, noting that current energy capacity may be insufficient to support continued growth in the sector.

“We will continue to reject radical climate dogma and bureaucratic red tape…Simply put, we need to ‘Build, Baby, Build!’” the document declares.

The plan pushes for rapid growth in nuclear, geothermal and fusion power alongside a sweeping deregulation of the Biden-era CHIPS Act to strip away “extraneous policy requirements” tied to federal semiconductor subsidies.

A major goal is to revitalize America’s sluggish energy grid. The administration wants “reliable, dispatchable power sources” prioritized to meet AI’s voracious electricity needs.

The emphasis on domestic chipmaking reflects a longstanding vulnerability. While US companies control nearly half of global chip revenue, only around 12% of manufacturing happens on US soil, according to World Population Review data.

To support the construction boom, the plan calls for workforce training programs for high-demand blue-collar jobs such as electricians and HVAC technicians, who are needed to build and maintain energy and data infrastructure.

Foreign policy for the AI age

The third pillar of the strategy focuses on international engagement, outlining steps to promote a US-led “AI alliance” and limit the global influence of strategic competitors, particularly China.

“The United States must meet global demand for Al by exporting its full Al technology stack — hardware, models, software, applications and standards — to all countries willing to join America’s Al alliance,” the plan says.

To support this approach, the administration proposes expanding export controls on advanced chips and manufacturing equipment to prevent their use by foreign adversaries. It also suggests implementing “location verification features” to monitor where AI hardware is deployed.

The plan recommends using the US position in international standards-setting bodies to advocate for governance frameworks that align with US interests. It calls for efforts to “counter authoritarian influence” in AI regulation and policymaking.

“It is imperative that the United States leverage this advantage into an enduring global alliance, while preventing our adversaries from free-riding on our innovation and investment,” the document states.

High-stakes global race

The release of the plan comes amid increasing global competition in AI, with countries competing to secure advantages in technology, talent and infrastructure. AI could contribute over $15 trillion to the global economy by 2030, according to estimates from PwC.

The US leads in private-sector AI investment, which reached $109.1 billion in 2024 — compared to China’s relatively modest $9.3 billion — according to Stanford University’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence Center.

However, China has a strong presence in other areas. It filed about 300,000 AI-related patent applications in 2024, accounting for approximately 70% of global filings, while the US submitted only around 67,800. China also leads in producing top-tier researchers, accounting for 47% of the global total in 2022, compared to 18% from the US, according to the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.

“To remain the leading economic and military power, the United States must win the AI race,” Sacks said. “To win the AI race, the US must lead in innovation, infrastructure and global partnerships.