Leading AI Companies Change Position, Advocate for Reduced Regulations with New U.S. Administration
Tech giants have shifted their stance on AI regulation, now advocating for wider access to data and exemptions from copyright laws as global competition intensifies.
In May 2023, executives from prominent artificial intelligence firms such as OpenAI, Google's DeepMind, and Anthropic urged U.S. legislators to establish federal regulations for the swiftly evolving AI industry.
Their appeals for oversight aimed at addressing the existential risks associated with advanced AI systems, proposing measures like algorithmic audits, content labeling, and shared risk data among organizations.
During this time, the U.S. government collaborated with AI developers to put in place voluntary commitments designed to ensure the safety and equity of AI technologies.
In October 2023, a presidential executive order solidified these principles, mandating that federal agencies assess the potential effects of AI systems on privacy, workers' rights, and civil liberties.
With a change in leadership, the strategy regarding AI policy underwent a substantial transformation.
In the inaugural week of the new presidential term, an executive order was enacted to revoke the previous administration's directives and foster policies that enhance the growth of American AI capabilities.
The new order instructed the creation of a national strategy to dismantle regulatory obstacles within a span of one hundred and eighty days.
In the ensuing weeks after the policy reversal, AI companies submitted various documents and requests to help mold the new framework.
Among the submissions, a fifteen-page document from OpenAI urged the federal government to restrict individual U.S. states from establishing their own AI regulations.
It also mentioned the Chinese AI company DeepSeek, which developed a competitive model using significantly fewer computational resources than what American firms typically require, advocating for greater access to federal data for model training.
Additionally, OpenAI, Google, and Meta have pushed for expanded rights to utilize copyrighted materials—including books, films, and artworks—for training their AI models.
All three companies are currently facing ongoing legal issues related to copyright infringement.
They have sought executive clarification or legislative measures to affirm that using publicly available information for training models falls under fair use.
A significant U.S. venture capital firm also presented a policy document calling for the avoidance of any new AI-specific regulations, arguing that current consumer safety and civil rights laws are adequate.
The firm supported the idea of penalizing harmful entities but opposed regulations that would impose obligations based on unproven risks.
This shift in policy comes amid rising concerns among AI developers regarding increasing global competition.
During the preceding administration, major U.S. firms believed their substantial investments and computational power provided them with a lasting edge, particularly as restrictions were placed on exporting advanced AI chips to nations like China.
However, recent events, including the launch of advanced models by smaller international competitors, have challenged this belief.
Some U.S. AI companies have reevaluated the extent of their technological advantage and are now pursuing quicker access to resources and fewer regulatory limitations.
This reassessment has prompted a significant change in industry lobbying, with leading AI firms now prioritizing competitive positioning over previous calls for cautious and cooperative oversight.
Their appeals for oversight aimed at addressing the existential risks associated with advanced AI systems, proposing measures like algorithmic audits, content labeling, and shared risk data among organizations.
During this time, the U.S. government collaborated with AI developers to put in place voluntary commitments designed to ensure the safety and equity of AI technologies.
In October 2023, a presidential executive order solidified these principles, mandating that federal agencies assess the potential effects of AI systems on privacy, workers' rights, and civil liberties.
With a change in leadership, the strategy regarding AI policy underwent a substantial transformation.
In the inaugural week of the new presidential term, an executive order was enacted to revoke the previous administration's directives and foster policies that enhance the growth of American AI capabilities.
The new order instructed the creation of a national strategy to dismantle regulatory obstacles within a span of one hundred and eighty days.
In the ensuing weeks after the policy reversal, AI companies submitted various documents and requests to help mold the new framework.
Among the submissions, a fifteen-page document from OpenAI urged the federal government to restrict individual U.S. states from establishing their own AI regulations.
It also mentioned the Chinese AI company DeepSeek, which developed a competitive model using significantly fewer computational resources than what American firms typically require, advocating for greater access to federal data for model training.
Additionally, OpenAI, Google, and Meta have pushed for expanded rights to utilize copyrighted materials—including books, films, and artworks—for training their AI models.
All three companies are currently facing ongoing legal issues related to copyright infringement.
They have sought executive clarification or legislative measures to affirm that using publicly available information for training models falls under fair use.
A significant U.S. venture capital firm also presented a policy document calling for the avoidance of any new AI-specific regulations, arguing that current consumer safety and civil rights laws are adequate.
The firm supported the idea of penalizing harmful entities but opposed regulations that would impose obligations based on unproven risks.
This shift in policy comes amid rising concerns among AI developers regarding increasing global competition.
During the preceding administration, major U.S. firms believed their substantial investments and computational power provided them with a lasting edge, particularly as restrictions were placed on exporting advanced AI chips to nations like China.
However, recent events, including the launch of advanced models by smaller international competitors, have challenged this belief.
Some U.S. AI companies have reevaluated the extent of their technological advantage and are now pursuing quicker access to resources and fewer regulatory limitations.
This reassessment has prompted a significant change in industry lobbying, with leading AI firms now prioritizing competitive positioning over previous calls for cautious and cooperative oversight.
