Trump cancels AI executive order signing after tech CEOs skip event and industry pushback

Trump canceled AI safety testing EO after snub from tech CEOs

President Donald Trump abruptly canceled an event on Thursday just hours before he was scheduled to sign an executive order granting the government the power to test frontier AI models before their public release. As The New York Times explained, Trump had been hoping that top executives from leading AI firms would attend the signing. He decided to pull the plug after learning that some CEOs couldn't make the event. That made Trump unhappy, even though he'd only given them 24 hours' notice. Other AI executives who quickly rearranged their schedules to go "were midair on their way to the Oval Office" when they found out that the trip was for nothing. Reporting from Semafor indicated that OpenAI "supported" the signing. However, xAI founder Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly helped "derail" the executive order, supposedly urging Trump to "call it off." Additionally, Trump's former AI advisor David Sacks -- whose special government employee designation expired in March, The Information noted -- joined the push to delay the signing, Semafor reported. According to Reuters, the tech industry lobbied against the order, fearing that safety testing could delay model launches or require changes that set back model development. Musk has denied having a hand in Trump's cancellation of the signing event, Reuters noted, writing on X that "this is false" and claiming that he doesn't "know what was in that EO." Trump has taken a hands-off approach to regulating AI since retaking office, but members of his administration got spooked and began recommending safety testing after Anthropic flagged cybersecurity risks with its latest model, Mythos. Their plan was to get Trump to expand the number of firms submitting to voluntary government testing and vetting of frontier models. Inside sources and AI firms briefed on the executive order told The Information that one tension between the Trump administration and the tech industry is the timeline for government testing. The government sought to evaluate models up to 90 days prior to release, while AI labs pushed for a much shorter timeline of only 14 days. The EO's goal, the NYT reported, was "for the government to identify any security vulnerabilities revealed by AI models and to patch problems in its systems to help protect banks, utilities, and other sensitive industries from cyberattacks." Officially, Trump told reporters that he decided against signing the order because he "didn't like certain aspects of it." He offered no further details but stressed that government safety testing could set the US back in the AI race with China, claiming that "I really thought [the order] could have been a blocker." "I think it gets in the way of -- you know, 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," Trump said. US lags behind in AI safety race It's unclear whether Trump plans to reschedule the event or what changes might be required to ensure he signs it. Lizzi C. Lee, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, told the South China Morning Post that Trump appears to be navigating the same AI safety dilemma as China: how to guard against national security risks without slowing the development of frontier models. Lee suggested that the impact of Trump's order depends on how "heavy the review process becomes." If Trump's safety testing focuses narrowly on national security, "it probably won't slow leading US labs much," Lee said. According to Lee, parallel to the AI race is "a separate, potentially more important race" to figure out how "who can govern powerful AI without choking off innovation." China may be slightly edging ahead of the US in that race. SCMP's report claimed that while the US has been hesitant to regulate AI, "China's regulatory process is accelerating significantly" in recent months. In April, Beijing issued a new regulation requiring domestic AI firms to establish internal "artificial intelligence ethics review committees." In May, the State Council, China's cabinet, outlined a legislative work plan for 2026 to "improve AI governance and accelerate comprehensive legislation for the sound development of AI." In the US, discord exists not just between political parties but among Trump's team, The Information reported. The tensions reportedly started after the abrupt end of Sacks' tenure as AI advisor, creating a "power vacuum" within the White House's AI leadership structure. Still, Sacks continues to visit the White House weekly, The Information reported. As Trump reportedly faces pressure from the Commerce Department and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to maintain a light-touch approach to AI regulation, more security-focused agencies, like the Office of the National Cyber Director, think the time for governance is now. Trump's next moves on AI safety in the US won't just be closely watched by officials within his administration concerned about national security risks -- which apparently includes Vice President JD Vance, who said on Wednesday that the administration was prioritizing "protecting people's data" and "people's privacy" after concerns about Mythos were raised. Apparently, China will also be expecting regular AI safety updates from Trump. At the recent summit with China's president, Xi Jinping, Trump agreed "to launch an intergovernmental dialogue on AI" to mutually navigate emerging national security risks as AI technology advances, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed.

Trump delays AI security executive order: 'I don't want to get in the way of that leading' | TechCrunch

President Donald Trump has delayed signing an executive order that would allow the government to evaluate AI models before they're released. Trump claimed he is not happy with the language of the order: "I didn't like certain aspects of it," he told the White House press pool. "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 leading." The unofficial reason: Not enough tech CEOs could make it to Washington, D.C. on short notice, according to several reports. And what's an executive order signing without a photo op? The anticipated executive order would have tasked the Office of the National Cyber Director and other agencies with developing a process to evaluate AI models for security before their release. This is partly in response to concerns from the release of Anthropic's Mythos and OpenAI's GPT-5.5 Cyber -- both of which can quickly find and exploit security vulnerabilities. One of the key sticking points in the EO's language, per CNN, is a proposed requirement for AI companies to share advanced models with the government between 14 and 90 days ahead of launch. Trump said he was concerned that the EO's language today "could have been a blocker."

Trump postpones AI oversight executive order - Engadget

The delay reportedly came after pressure from big tech leaders. President Trump has postponed the signing an executive order around government AI oversight, CNN reported, saying he "didn't like certain aspects" of it. Originally, the order would have compelled AI companies to share advanced models with the government ahead of launch to ensure their safety, but it was later watered down to make tech company participation voluntary. The delay reportedly came about due to last-minute pressure from AI industry leaders, including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, along with former US AI and crypto czar David Sacks. They told Trump that the new system could slow development of AI tech that has become integral to the US economy, anonymous insiders told The Washington Post. The decision was made after the White House had already sent invitations to tech leaders for a signing ceremony set to happen yesterday afternoon. Speaking about AI technology advancements, Trump said "I really thought that that [the bill] could have been a blocker, and I want to make sure that it's not." The President has yet to say how or if the bill might be changed and when it will now be signed. So far, the White House has taken a hands-off approach to AI. "We have to grow that baby [AI] and let that baby thrive. We can't stop it. We can't stop it with politics... [and] foolish rules and even stupid rules," Trump said at an event last July. However, the president may have changed tack following an AI backlash from voters concerned about job losses and high electric bills. Another factor may have been Anthropic's Mythos, a model designed to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities faster than any human could. Proponents of the bill said that without oversight, state actors could weaponize such tech and turn it against the US. The White House had an executive order draft ready that balanced industry concerns with public safety. It called for companies to submit models 90 days before public release, with strictly voluntary participation. That wasn't enough for the likes of Sacks and Musk, though, who warned that the EO could still lead to a chilling effect on the tech. White House officials were reportedly taken aback by the delay, particularly as Sacks had previously said he could live with the order. The bill is still likely to be revisited, according to the WaPo's sources, but it's not clear when a new draft will emerge.

Trump postpones AI executive order signing: 'I didn't like certain aspects'

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he postponed an upcoming signing ceremony for his administration's much-anticipated executive order on the artificial intelligence industry. The event, which was set for later Thursday afternoon, was delayed "because I didn't like certain aspects of it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. The U.S. is ahead of China and the rest of the world on AI and "I don't want to do anything that's going to get in the way of that lead," Trump said. He added that AI is "causing tremendous good," and he was concerned that the executive order "could have been a blocker." The postponement was first reported earlier Thursday by Axios. The White House referred CNBC to Trump's remarks when asked for comment on the delay.

Here's the Executive Order on AI That Gave Trump Cold Feet

Earlier this week, Trump's coterie of big tech execs was supposed to join him to sign it. Then it got called off. We finally have a look at the actual draft executive order on AI safeguards that President Donald Trump abruptly decided not to sign on Thursday. The executive order would have created a framework for AI companies to voluntarily give the federal government access to frontier AI models up to 90 days before their wider release to “strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure,†according to a draft of the order sent to Gizmodo from a source with knowledge of the negotiations. It apparently was leaked far and wide, with Politico appearing to be the first to publish it. Leaks in recent days revealed that the whole framework would largely be voluntary, but the actual draft emphasized that point pretty strongly. “Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the creation of a mandatory governmental licensing, preclearance, or permitting requirement for the development, publication, release, or distribution of new AI models, including frontier models,†the draft reads. So, it’s a little puzzling why the Trump administration would change its mind about a voluntary program at the last minute. Some reports claim it was because top AI CEOs weren’t able to make it to the White House for the signing and photo op. Instead, they would have sent lower-level executives, according to Politico. The outlet also reports that the administration’s AI Czar, David Sacks, brought up industry concerns directly to Trump on Wednesday night. Sacks reportedly made the case that AI companies are already cooperating with the government and that any federal review process could slow innovation and give China an edge in the AI arms race. He also brought up fears that any voluntary framework would someday transform into a mandatory government review. For his part, Trump seemed to echo that argument. “I didn’t like certain aspects of it,†Trump told reporters Thursday morning. “I think it gets in the way of... 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.†The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Still, this is the latest example of the Trump administration essentially giving the AI industry what it wants. So far, the Trump administration has taken a hands-off approach to regulating AI. Trump, an AI and billionaire ally, signed an executive order in December aimed at curbing what his administration describes as overly burdensome state regulations in the name of national and economic security. The only time the Trump administration took any significant action against an AI company was earlier this year when it designated Anthropic as a supply chain risk after the startup refused to allow its tech to be used by the Pentagon for “any lawful purpose.†Anthropic wanted the agreement to bar the government from using its products in autonomous weapons or for domestic surveillance. That was too much to ask, in the Pentagon's view. Amid the federal oversight vacuum, AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are trying to get ahead of things by lobbying for their preferred state laws. But not all conservatives are completely satisfied with how Trump is handling AI. Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon and more than 60 other conservative leaders recently sent a letter to the president urging him to sign the executive order while calling for more government oversight of what they call “potentially dangerous†frontier AI models. Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Sec. 1. Purpose. The United States continues to lead the world in Artificial Intelligence (AI) because of the enormous talent and innovation of our AI industry, and because we refuse to stifle this innovation with overly burdensome regulation.  My Administration has unleashed tremendous technological growth and economic investment in AI by slashing the bureaucratic constraints that the prior Administration placed on America's AI developers and researchers, and by instead encouraging AI innovation and accelerating responsible AI adoption across government and industry. Advanced AI capabilities make our Nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments, agencies, and components.  As these capabilities evolve, my Administration will continue to work closely with industry to ensure that the best and most secure technology is deployed rapidly to confront any and all threats to our country.  We will continue to lead an America First cybersecurity effort that enhances both our national security and our global AI dominance. It is the policy of the United States to promote AI innovation and security by working collaboratively with the private sector to modernize government and private sector information systems and harden them against external threats; to protect American ingenuity and intellectual property from exploitation and theft by adversaries; and to cultivate America's advanced AI-enabled capabilities. Sec. 2. Upgrading American Systems for Advanced AI. (a) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Committee on National Security Systems shall prioritize the cyber defense of National Security Systems, as defined in 44 U.S.C. 3552(b)(6)(A), by taking appropriate and expeditious action consistent with the purpose of this order. (b) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of War shall prioritize the cyber defense of Department of War information systems by taking appropriate and expeditious action consistent with the purpose of this order. (c)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the National Cyber Director, shall release Binding Operational Directives and other guidance as appropriate to: (i) expedite and prioritize the cyber defense of civilian Federal Government information systems in order to protect our Nation's vital functions; (ii) establish or expand Federal programs and cybersecurity services that enhance AI-enabled defensive tools; and (iii) facilitate access to cybersecurity tools and services including, where appropriate, covered frontier models for Federal agencies, State and local authorities, and operators of critical infrastructure such as rural hospitals, community banks, and local utilities. (d) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the National Cyber Director, the Secretary of War, through the Director of the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Director of CISA, shall form an AI cybersecurity clearinghouse, in voluntary collaboration with the AI industry and operators of critical infrastructure, that coordinates and deconflicts scanning for software vulnerabilities, discovers and validates such vulnerabilities, and coordinates and prioritizes remediation and distribution of vulnerability patches. (e) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Director of OMB, in coordination with the National Cyber Director and the Director of CISA, shall determine whether any Federal grant programs have available and relevant funding that can be directed toward applicants developing advanced AI vulnerability detection. (f) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall expand the U.S. Tech Force Information Cybersecurity Specialist hiring and placement pathways. Sec. 3. Secure Frontier Model Deployment.  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, through the Director of NSA, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Director of CISA, in consultation with the White House Chief of Staff, through the National Cyber Director, the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), and the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and in coordination with other executive departments and agencies, as appropriate, shall: (a) develop and maintain a classified benchmarking process to assess the advanced cyber capabilities of AI models and determine the threshold at which an AI model should be designated a "covered frontier model" for the purposes of this order, sharing such assessments with AI developers and researchers as appropriate.  Such a determination shall be made by the Director of NSA, in consultation with the National Cyber Director, the APST, the Director of CISA, and other representatives of the Department of War, as appropriate. (b) design a voluntary framework with AI developers through which developers would be able to: (i)engage the U.S. Government to determine whether model(s) under development meet the designation of “covered frontier modelâ€; (ii)provide the Federal Government with access to covered frontier models, subject to appropriate confidentiality, cybersecurity, insider-risk, and intellectual-property protection, use, and nondisclosure requirements, for a period of up to 90 days before they plan to release such models to other trusted partners; and (ii) collaborate with the Federal Government to select trusted partners that will have early access to covered frontier models to promote secure innovation and strengthen the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the creation of a mandatory governmental licensing, preclearance, or permitting requirement for the development, publication, release, or distribution of new AI models, including frontier models. Sec. 4. Protection Against Criminal Actors.  The Attorney General shall prioritize the enforcement of 18 U.S.C. 1028, 18 U.S.C. 1030, 18 U.S.C. 1343, and all other applicable Federal criminal laws against anyone who utilizes AI to illegally access or damage a computer without authorization, or who utilizes AI while engaged in such illegal access to further any other crime. This includes breaching any public or private information technology system, or employing AI agents to unlawfully access data or information that is subsequently used for a criminal or unlawful purpose. Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (d) The costs of publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of War.

How big tech got its way on Trump's AI executive order

The US president's reversal on calling for a safety review of new AI models is a green light for tech's unchecked power Only hours before Donald Trump was set to sign a long-awaited executive order on Thursday that would have called for a government safety review of new artificial intelligence models before their release, the president abruptly backed out. Despite growing public backlash to the technology and experts warning new models will pose critical security risks, Trump vowed the US government would not slow down the AI race. During a meeting with reporters on Thursday, Trump cited both American dominance and competition with China and as his reasoning behind the reversal. "I didn't like certain aspects of it, I postponed it," Trump said of the executive order in the Oval Office. "We're leading China, we're leaving everybody, and I don't want to do anything that's gonna get in the way of that lead." Trump's postponing of the order was a victory for tech leaders who have long opposed AI regulation and spent millions lobbying against it. The decision was also the direct result of their influence, according to reports from multiple news outlets, with tech billionaires including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and former White House "AI czar" David Sacks personally urging Trump to reverse course in private phone calls. After a brief period in which the White House appeared concerned enough about potential security implications to consider restraints on frontier AI, Trump's decision marks a return to his own earlier hands-off approach and signals a laissez-faire future. The tech industry retains its ability to pursue rapid advancement of AI regardless of the potential harms, and Silicon Valley's leaders have successfully tested their power to kill any attempts at regulation in infancy. White House discussions around the order began after Anthropic last month announced its latest model, Claude Mythos, but declared that it would hold off on publicly releasing it due to safety concerns - calling the model's ability to find vulnerabilities in computer code a "reckoning" for the cybersecurity industry. Mythos sparked a small geopolitical crisis, with governments from the UK to India to China worrying the AI model could target financial systems and other critical infrastructure. The security risks posed by Mythos were also not a one-off. The capabilities of one company's AI model are historically matched by other firms in the ensuing months, sometimes eventually becoming available in open-source models, which can have fewer restrictions on how they are deployed. Mythos may be unique in its potential harms, but only for now. OpenAI announced a cybersecurity AI product not long after Mythos debuted. The White House reaction to Mythos, which included JD Vance calling the heads of AI firms to urge cooperation, signaled a potential shift from the administration's long-held view that the US should advance AI as fast and with as little restriction as possible in order to maintain a global lead in the technology. Only last year, Vance had proclaimed at an international summit that "the AI future is not going to be won by hand-wringing about safety". Though the extent of Mythos' capabilities is not known to the public, it appeared to have spooked the White House enough to consider some hand-wringing may, in fact, be necessary. But hat stance directly conflicted with the interests of much of the AI industry, which has closely aligned itself with the administration and collectively donated hundreds of millions to Republican political causes. In turn, the AI industry has greatly benefitted from Trump's anti-regulation stance. The president has publicly embraced industry leaders including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman while appointing others such as Musk and Sacks to prominent government positions. In December the president signed an executive order seeking to block any state attempts on regulating AI, giving well-worn tech industry talking points about opposing bureaucracy and combating China as his rationale. Soon after discussions of an executive order began, companies including Microsoft and Google appeared to submit to more overview and struck a deal to allow the government's AI standards agency to review early versions of their models on national security grounds - though crucially only on a non-binding, voluntary basis. In private meetings, industry officials also began lobbying to weaken Trump's potential order, which would have created another voluntary government review process for new models. This week's planned executive order would have carried no legal weight to force AI companies to submit their models for review, and it falls miles behind what AI safety advocates have proposed. The minimal increase in oversight was still enough to cause a last-minute flurry to kill the directive. Sacks, the billionaire tech investor and former adviser to the administration, told Trump this week that the order would benefit China in the AI race, according to Politico. Musk and Zuckerberg, the Washington Post reported, warned the president the order would hurt the economy and US advantage in AI. Musk posted a denial of the report on X, his social media platform, saying he only talked to Trump after the president decided to cancel the order. A draft of the proposed order highlights just how watered-down the jettisoned order would have been, with explicit assurances that it would not "stifle this innovation with overly burdensome regulation". "Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the creation of a mandatory governmental licensing, preclearance, or permitting requirement for the development, publication, release, or distribution of new AI models, including frontier models," the draft order stated, according to a copy obtained by Politico. Less than a month after the first reports that the White House was considering vetting AI models, the prospect of the Trump administration creating any stringent AI regulations once again appears extremely unlikely. The threat of a global breakdown in cybersecurity joins disinformation, mass surveillance, autonomous warfare, labor market disruption, child abuse material, nonconsensual sexualized images, suicides, mass shootings, environmental damage and a range of other potential harms linked to AI that have failed to spur any cohesive White House plans to rein in the technology. The extent of influence that tech leaders maintain over the Trump administration also has the potential to keep growing as midterm elections approach and Silicon Valley pours money into campaigns. Super Pacs such as Leading the Future, which is backed by Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president, and has amassed more than $125m, are set to spend huge sums pushing anti-regulation candidates and policies. Musk, who claimed last year he would step away from political donations, is also back pouring tens of millions into Republican, pro-tech causes. As many of these tech leaders have pivoted their entire companies and investments toward AI, in the case of SpaceX and OpenAI also making it central to their trillion-dollar public offerings this year, even a hint of regulation looks like a threat to gargantuan financial gain.

Why Trump's AI executive order was pulled

Why it matters: Any further delay of the order means more time for infighting and for the text to get bogged down in disagreements among different parts of the government and industry. Behind the scenes: Ahead of the signing, Trump, AI adviser David Sacks, and some in industry discussed the executive order, sources familiar told Axios. * The main reason why the executive order signing was delayed was because "he just hates regulation," one source familiar said of Trump, adding that Sacks also "hated it." * "The whole thing was unnecessary" and "just something doomers wanted," the source added. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, xAI CEO Elon Musk and Sacks all spoke with Trump between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. * The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. What they're saying: "I didn't like certain aspects of it. I postponed it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. * "I think it gets in the way of -- you know, we're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I didn't want to do anything to get in the way of that lead." * Those who have been pushing for AI regulation in Washington were relieved that the White House was finally going to make moves on AI and cybersecurity safety. Now it's not clear when -- or whether -- that is going to happen. * Axios first reported details of what was going to be in the executive order this week. The big picture: Trump has been walking a tightrope of allowing American AI companies to flourish without strict rules while weighing growing public anti-AI sentiment, including within his own party. * For now, the accelerationists have won out. * One government official told Axios: "It could be CEOs, or egos in general. Everyone hates each other in the political tech space." One tech industry source told Axios there were also questions about why the Treasury Department received such a leading role in the coordinating security vulnerabilities in the postponed AI executive order as it was written. * Typically, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have taken leading roles in reviewing and testing critical security vulnerabilities -- as well as notifying the tech ecosystem about them. * "It's not clear just objectively speaking why Treasury is involved and what is their substantive expertise in this area," the source told Axios. While there were lingering questions about which AI models would participate in the voluntary testing program, technology companies have been broadly supportive of AI model testing and guardrails. * And leading frontier, or cutting-edge, models already do voluntary testing through the Commerce Department's Center for AI Standards and Innovation. * Some questions also remained about whether sharing an AI model for up to 90 days ahead of release would prevent companies from also sharing with other allied countries who may want to conduct their own safety tests, the source added. What to watch: The White House's Office of the National Cyber Director has teased in private conversations that it is working on additional AI security initiatives besides the EO that had been expected today, the source said.

The tech bro billionaires won the fight over the AI executive order. But are they losing the war? | Fortune

The tech bros struck back. That's the best way to describe what happened yesterday when President Donald Trump suddenly decided to indefinitely postpone signing an Executive Order on AI, even as technology company executives he had invited to be present at the White House for the signing were traveling to Washington for the ceremony. "I didn't like certain aspects of it," Trump explained to reporters at the White House on Thursday morning. "I think it gets in the way of -- 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." The order would have created a system in which AI companies could voluntarily submit their most advanced models to key national security agencies for testing and vetting up to 90 days prior to releasing them. Officials from multiple government departments and agencies had spent weeks negotiating over the executive order's language, and leading AI companies had been briefed on its content. At least two of those companies, Anthropic and OpenAI, had indicated they were in favor of the voluntary vetting system. The executive order was under consideration following the debut of Anthropic's Mythos model, which possesses unprecedented cyber capabilities. The AI company has voluntarily limited Mythos' release out of concern that those capabilities, if widely shared, could help hackers to launch devastating cyber attacks against critical infrastructure. But David Sacks, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist who stepped down in late March as Trump's AI and crypto czar, successfully mounted a last-ditch lobbying effort to derail the order's signing. Sacks called Trump on Thursday to express his concerns, according to press accounts. The campaign also included similar calls to Trump from Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, both of whom are developing advanced AI models. There were also, reportedly, efforts to convince members of Vice President JD Vance's staff to voice concerns about the order with Trump. Sacks is a prominent AI "accelerationist" who believes that any federal regulation will harm U.S innovation, hurt the business interests of U.S. technology companies, and delay the country from experiencing the many benefits he believes AI will bring. He also sees the U.S. as being in a potentially existential race with China to develop advanced AI capabilities, and believes that regulation will result in the U.S. falling behind in this geopolitical contest. Although no longer officially serving as Trump's AI advisor, Sacks continues to wield influence on the administration's AI policy. Earlier this week, according to news reports, he attended official briefings on the executive order. At the time, he reportedly indicated he would not oppose the voluntary model testing framework. But, according to a story in Politico, Sacks later told Trump that he feared the voluntary vetting would act as a de facto licensing regime, slowing down AI companies' releases of new AI models. He also worried, Politico reported, that a future administration might easily turn the voluntary procedure into a mandatory one. Trump's decision to postpone signing the order leaves U.S. AI policy in a strange place both in terms of policy and politics. AI regulation is an issue which splits Trump's base. Trump came into office supported by a cadre of "move fast and break things" Silicon Valley billionaires, including Sacks and Musk. They have expressed admiration for the president for tearing down what they see as unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy, and for embracing crypto currency. Zuckerberg, who was a critic of Trump during his first term as president, has in the past year emerged as a vocal supporter. Prior to Trump's decision to pull out of signing the executive order, many in Washington thought the order was a done deal and that the forces opposing the approach were in retreat. Poll after poll indicates that the majority of Americans -- including a majority of Republicans -- are fearful about AI's impact on jobs and its potential negative impacts on education and children's mental health. Many oppose the construction of data centers near them. And many religious Christians are deeply suspicious of AI, viewing the technology as a kind of "false god," equivalent to idolatry. Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, for instance, was among more than 60 MAGA loyalists who earlier this week signed an open letter to Trump urging him to test and approve powerful AI models before they are released. The letter was organized by Humans First, a conservative group whose tagline is "technology should serve humans...not replace them." A poll of Republican voters released today by the Future of Life Institute, an AI safety group concerned with AI's potential existential risk to humanity, found that 79% were in favor of the government testing AI models before they are released to ensure they are safe, and that 87% favored the government having the power to block the release of AI models that pose a national security threat. "Our image and the stereotype is that Republicans are against regulation," Michael Kleinman, head of U.S. policy for the Future of Life Institute, told Fortune. "But what we are finding instead is when people see a technology that has direct and often incredibly negative impact on their lives, their kids, and their communities, they want the government to step in and put in place common sense guardrails." Kleinman said that while Sacks and the Silicon Valley faction of Trump's base have prevailed for now, public opinion and the trends in AI development were against them. "Public opinion is solidifying on both the left and the right," he said. "Mythos won't be the last model that these companies release that will pose significant national security threats -- it is the first such model. So the pressure is only going to continue to build for the government to take common sense action." The Trump administration is, for the moment, continuing to exercise a kind of ad hoc licensing process for just that one AI model, Anthropic's Mythos. Anthropic has shared the model with the U.S. government and, under what Anthropic calls Project Glasswing, with a select handful of U.S. technology companies and financial institutions who make software that underpins much of the internet and other critical infrastructure. But the White House, according to press reports, blocked Anthropic from expanding the number of companies with access to Mythos due to national security concerns. Meanwhile, OpenAI has created an AI model, GPT-5.5, that -- according to OpenAI's own testing and that carried out by the U.K. government's AI Security Institute -- is almost as capable as Mythos. OpenAI has released the model only to partners in a "trusted access" program, although the program is less limited than Anthropic's Glasswing. The U.S. government has not applied the same scrutiny to the expansion of OpenAI's trusted access program for GPT-5.5 as it has to Glasswing. A number of AI companies also voluntarily share their most advanced AI models with the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), which evaluates them for some potential risks. But CAISI is part of the Department of Commerce and its experts do not necessarily have access to classified information to help them assess the risks AI models pose, or the expertise in advanced cyber security methods that parts of the U.S. national security establishment have. The discussion over the now-postponed executive order, according to a story in The Washington Post, involved heated wrangling between different branches of the U.S. government over who should be in charge of testing and approving AI models. The Commerce Department wanted to hold on to its leadership on model evaluation with the CAISI, but the U.S. intelligence community was also vying for responsibility. Meanwhile, it is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who has been leading much of the administration's response to Mythos so far. There were also disputes between factions of Trump advisors. Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, suggested last week that the administration would set up a licensing system similar to how the Food and Drug Administration reviews testing of drugs before approving them for sale. That brought a rebuke on social media from White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who said the president was not "in the business of picking winners and losers."

Trump calls off executive order for AI safety due to concerns about inhibiting growth

US President Donald Trump abruptly called off a highly anticipated White House signing ceremony for a sweeping executive order intended to establish a federal safety vetting framework for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump withdrew the draft directive just hours before a scheduled press conference with premier technology executives, openly stating to reporters that he postponed the measure because he feared certain provisions could act as a structural "blocker" to American innovation. This illustrates a tension within the administration, as national security collides with tech industry dominance. According to the Financial Times, the executive order originally came about after National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent received classified demonstrations of advanced commercial systems, which exposed catastrophic cybersecurity weaknesses within the global banking network. Hassett suggested that frontier AI models should be treated like prescription drugs under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and proven entirely safe before public release. This was a comparison that met immediate pushback from Silicon Valley investors and tech-aligned politicians who argued that this framework would halt the US's software development pace. The abandoned order attempted to formalize a voluntary, pre-release benchmarking infrastructure rather than impose government-heavy mandates. The Wall Street Journal reports that under the proposed compromise, leading companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and xAI, would have voluntarily granted federal agencies an early, pre-public screening window ranging from 14 to 90 days to stress-test frontier systems for weaponized cyber capabilities. Despite the agreement being voluntary, it would have dramatically expanded the domestic intelligence community's authority over commercial tech, designating the National Security Agency (NSA) as the primary mediator for reviewing these advanced models, while simultaneously mandating a massive cyber-professional hiring surge to reverse previous staffing cuts at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The Trump administration is reportedly moving towards an ad-hoc regulatory strategy. Given that it opposes state-level AI safety laws, the government is choosing decentralized, independent testing agreements through the Department of Commerce (DOC) with tech giants such as Microsoft and xAI. However, this inconsistent policy approach creates industry ambiguity. According to CBS News, the cancellation leaves the government without a unified, coherent safety framework just as Silicon Valley prepares for a loaded summer rollout of complex models. However, one trend is clear: safeguarding American tech corporations will consistently be a priority in federal regulation.

Trump Halts AI Order Over Fears It Could Hurt US Edge Over China - Decrypt

Trump also said Chinese President Xi Jinping acknowledged the U.S. lead in AI during a meeting last week. President Donald Trump said Thursday he halted a planned signing ceremony for his administration's AI executive order after deciding parts of the proposal could undermine the U.S. position in the global AI race with China. "I didn't like certain aspects of it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "I think it gets in the way of -- 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." Trump did not specify which specific provisions he opposed or say when the administration might revisit the order. Trump's comment came during a press conference announcing the administration's rollback of environmental regulations affecting refrigeration equipment, part of a broader deregulation push the White House says will lower costs for consumers, protect jobs, and reverse Biden-era policies it considers harmful to industry. First announced earlier this month, the executive order would have established a voluntary AI review framework under which participating companies would provide the federal government with early access to advanced models before public release for national security and capability testing. The proposal would also have allowed critical infrastructure providers, including banks, to receive pre-release access to covered models, and included a cybersecurity provision aimed at identifying vulnerabilities in unreleased AI models. The proposed executive order comes as U.S. officials grow increasingly concerned about the national security implications of advanced AI models, particularly after Anthropic's Claude Mythos demonstrated the ability to identify hundreds of software vulnerabilities and autonomously execute complex cyber operations during testing. At the same time, AI companies including OpenAI, Google, and xAI have expanded partnerships with U.S. defense and intelligence agencies, with the NSA already running Mythos on classified networks despite an ongoing feud with Anthropic, according to Axios. Despite the legal fight with Anthropic, Trump said he supports AI development and views the technology as a source of economic growth, but argued the executive order risked creating unnecessary obstacles for the industry. "I really thought that could have been a blocker and I want to make sure that it's not," he said. During the press conference, Trump said he discussed AI with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting last week. "He acknowledges how well we're doing," Trump said. "It was the two of us -- the two countries are fighting for it. Other countries are way behind. I postponed that signing because I didn't like what I was seeing."

Who killed Trump's AI order? Musk says it wasn't him

Washington (United States) (AFP) - Speculation swirled Friday over the last-minute collapse of President Donald Trump's planned executive order on powerful AI models, with fingers pointing at the president's allies in Silicon Valley who oppose government oversight of the technology. A draft of the shelved order leaked to US media shows the White House had prepared new AI cybersecurity measures before Trump pulled the plug Thursday. His former AI czar had reportedly called Trump directly to raise objections. The collapse is the latest sign that Washington remains unable to agree on even modest guardrails for the technology -- leaving the United States well behind Europe and Asia and far short of what many safety advocates say is needed. If enacted, the dropped executive order would have given the federal government up to 90 days of access to the most powerful AI models before their public release, and it would have established a coordinated response to AI-enabled threats to banks, hospitals and other critical infrastructure. Politico and other media reported that David Sacks, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist who served as Trump's AI and crypto czar, called the president Thursday morning -- blindsiding White House staff -- to warn that the measure would slow innovation and hurt the US in its AI race with China. Officials believed Sacks supported the order, but the night before the planned signing he began raising concerns that the voluntary review process could one day be made mandatory. The Washington Post reported a broader account: Last-minute calls from Sacks, Elon Musk -- CEO of SpaceX and Tesla -- and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, convinced the president not to sign. Musk denied the claim on his social media platform X. "This is false. I still don't know what was in that executive order and the President only spoke to me after declining to sign," he wrote. Meta also disputed the report, saying Zuckerberg had spoken to Trump only after the order was rescinded. Fear of Mythos To assuage concerns of government overreach, the draft explicitly stated that nothing in the order should be read as creating a mandatory licensing or approval requirement for AI models. According to The Information and other media, tech companies also pushed to cut the pre-release access window from 90 days to just 14. The order was triggered in part by concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model, which the AI startup has refused to release publicly over safety fears. The collapse of Thursday's effort leaves the administration with no formal plan for managing the security risks posed by the most powerful AI systems -- and no timeline for producing one. Trump scrapped an AI oversight order signed by his predecessor Joe Biden on his first day back in the White House. Biden's 2023 order required AI companies to share safety test results with the government and leaned heavily on voluntary commitments -- already a light-touch approach that fell well short of what many experts had called for. By contrast, the European Union's AI Act -- which entered into force in 2024 -- sets binding rules for high-risk AI systems, including mandatory transparency requirements and, for the most powerful models, obligations around safety testing and incident reporting.

Trump abruptly scraps signing of landmark executive order regulating AI

President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Thursday.,Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images President Trump abruptly delayed the signing of a landmark executive order on AI Thursday afternoon, telling reporters that he had pulled the order at the last minute because it could interfere with American competitiveness on AI. "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," Trump, answering reporters' questions in the Oval Office during an unrelated event, said about America's AI industry. "I really thought [the order] could have been a blocker." The order, reportedly in development for weeks, was expected to direct federal agencies to shore up key cybersecurity defenses and work with the world's leading AI companies on a voluntary basis to test advanced models before they are public, according to two people familiar with the draft. The order's planned debut came less than two months after AI company Anthropic's Mythos Preview model demonstrated the novel ability to autonomously discover thousands of severe and critical cyber vulnerabilities, including in leading operating systems and web browsers. Vice President JD Vance said in a press conference on Wednesday that the administration was prioritizing "protecting people's data" and "people's privacy" in the wake of Mythos' debut. A "bad actor could use Mythos to target various cybersecurity vulnerabilities," he said. "Right now, we're working in a collaborative way with the technology companies, and we're just trying to make sure that the American people are as safe as possible." Anthropic has not released Mythos publicly and instead shared access with a select group of technology companies and government agencies to bolster their cybersecurity defenses. The executive order would formalize how the federal government oversees the most advanced AI models, according to the sources. The document is split into two main sections: one focused on cybersecurity and the other on testing and vetting frontier AI models. The order would direct several groups -- including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the White House's Office of the National Cyber Director and the Office of Science and Technology Policy -- to establish methods to determine which AI models should fall under the new voluntary testing regime. The order would then charge administration officials with creating a new framework for the government to access and evaluate yet-to-be-released models in conjunction with leading AI companies. The testing arrangements would be voluntary, according to the sources. American tech companies and administration officials have often pointed to regulations with more stringent requirements, like the EU's AI Act, as a potential threat to American innovation. The cybersecurity section lays out several new initiatives designed to strengthen national security and Defense Department systems against AI-fueled cyberattacks, according to the people familiar with the matter. The order would also lay out a directive to promote the use of AI tools to strengthen critical infrastructure, including utility companies and rural hospitals. The administration has already partnered with some of America's leading AI companies to test models for safety concerns before they are released. Those evaluations are run by the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), housed within the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). A recent announcement about expanded pre-deployment testing between CAISI and Microsoft, Google and xAI was removed from NIST's website several days after it was posted. On his first day in office, Trump repealed one of President Joe Biden's key AI executive orders, which laid out its own method for establishing which AI models were considered most advanced or highest risk. Biden's order, unlike the planned order from Trump, required leading AI companies to share the results of internal testing, security protocols and other development details.

Trump postpones executive order on AI over China concerns - US politics live

Trump postpones executive order on AI, citing need to keep 'lead' over China The US president Donald Trump postponed signing an executive order on AI because he did not like certain aspects of it and did not want to take any steps that might undermine the US position in its AI competition with China. The order would create a voluntary framework for AI developers to engage with the U.S. government before the public release of advanced AI models, two sources familiar with the order told Reuters. "I think it gets in the way of, you know, 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," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Trump did not specify which parts of the executive order he objected to. It comes after the Trump became the first US president in nearly a decade to visit China, and described his meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping as "very successful". The administration's plans were reportedly put on hold after a push from xAI founder Elon Musk and other big tech figures. Replying to a post on X about the reporting, Musk said, "this is false," adding: "I still don't know what was in that EO and the president only spoke to me after declining to sign."

Trump delays AI executive order after tech industry pushback - SiliconANGLE

Trump delays AI executive order after tech industry pushback U.S. President Donald Trump has delayed the signing of an executive order designed to regulate advanced artificial intelligence models. "I didn't like certain aspects of it. I postponed it," Trump told reporters at a Thursday event in the Oval Office. According to Politico, the decision came after several prominent tech industry figures expressed opposition to the directive. The group reportedly included Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and venture capitalist David Sacks, a former White House advisor. OpenAI Group PBC is said to have supported the order. The White House reportedly shared a draft of the directive with private sector representatives late Tuesday. That version called on AI developers to submit certain frontier models to the federal government for review at least 90 days before their release. Additionally, the draft specified that participating companies should give critical infrastructure operators early access to their models. The order would have made participation in the initiative voluntary. It specified that the Treasury Department should run the AI review program with the support of several other agencies. The participants would have included the Office of the National Cyber Director, the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The proposed AI review program focuses on algorithms designated as "covered frontier models." The draft executive order would have given federal agencies 60 days to develop a "classified benchmarking process" for determining which systems should receive the designation. The initiative would presumably focus on AI models such as Anthropic PBC's Claude Mythos Preview. The algorithm, which made its debut last month, is highly adept at discovering software vulnerabilities. Anthropic says that the model has so far identified thousands of high-severity flaws. Earlier large language models also demonstrated the ability to find cybersecurity weaknesses. However, they struggled to determine whether those vulnerabilities could be exploited in practice. Claude Mythos Preview has no such limitation: it can chain together multiple zero-day flaws into sophisticated cyberattacks. The draft executive order reportedly included a section dedicated to cybersecurity. It called on government agencies to "establish or expand" internal programs that use AI tools to mitigate cyberattacks. Additionally, the directive calls on officials to identify federal grant programs that could be used to support such initiatives. According to Politico, the White House invited several prominent tech industry figures to the Thursday signing event. The group included Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei, Zuckerberg and Altman, but the trio indicated that they would not be able to attend. The attendance issues reportedly factored into Trump's decision not to sign the order.

Trump cancels AI executive order over concerns of slowing U.S. tech innovation

Trump said he was postponing the Oval Office event with tech industry executives because he did not like what he saw in the order's text. "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," Trump told reporters. The order would have established a framework for the government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems before their public release, according to a person familiar with the White House's deliberations with the tech industry but not authorized to speak about them publicly. The directive was being characterized as a voluntary collaboration with participating U.S.-based tech companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google, the person said. The push for some kind of government action to review leading AI systems follows growing concern within the banking industry and other institutions about the leaps in AI's abilities to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world's software.

Trump says he's calling off widely anticipated order to rein in AI | Fortune

President Donald Trump called off plans to sign a new executive order on artificial intelligence hours before an expected White House ceremony Thursday because he said he was worried the measure could dull America's edge on AI technology. Trump said he was postponing the Oval Office event with tech industry executives because he did not like what he saw in the order's text. "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," Trump told reporters. The push for some kind of government action to vet the most powerful AI systems follows growing concern within the banking industry and other institutions about the leaps in AI's abilities to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world's software. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with Wall Street CEOs in April, warning them about the cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic's AI model, Claude Mythos. The meeting, urgently assembled at the Treasury Department's headquarters, was intended to ensure that banks were aware of the risks associated with the models, Bessent said at CNBC's "Invest in America Forum" in Washington in April. "This new Anthropic model is very powerful," he said. "Some banks are doing a better job in cybersecurity than others, and we want to have the ability to convene them and talk about what is best practices and where they should be heading." That led some allies of the Republican president to propose better methods for getting those AI tools in the hands of trusted cybersecurity experts. Trump had pledged to undo the AI safety regulations set by his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump's administration has viewed the AI sector as an engine to help deliver on his pledges to expand the economy and he has promoted its major players at events at the White House and around the world. Last week, Trump had tech CEOs in tow for a summit with China's Xi Jinping. Trump's ambitions for the sector have collided with the fears of voters over the impact of the technology on American life, jobs and electricity bills. Republicans themselves are divided on whether to embrace the AI industry or side with voters expressing skepticism about the technology. There are competing factions within the administration, said Serena Booth, a computer science professor at Brown University and former AI policy fellow in a Democratic-led Senate committee. "We do see this kind of public fighting," she said. "'We will release an executive order. No, we won't. We're going to sign it this afternoon. Oh, the signing is canceled.' I think this whiplash is because we're seeing these fractures.'" Some of those divides are balancing what Booth said is a "reasonable idea" to test the most capable AI models before their public release, with a concern that government scrutiny, if it takes too long, could burden AI developers. "It does come at a potential very large cost to innovation and speed of development," she said. "There is, I think, a real risk here and I do see both sides." The White House has pushed back against state laws seeking to regulate AI, saying the measures could curb growth. A new executive order that could have been perceived as government screening of commercial AI models would have signaled a significant shift in the administration's approach. At a White House press briefing Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance declined to discuss specifics from the order but said the administration wants to promote innovation while also addressing cybersecurity threats and data privacy. "The president wants us to be pro-innovation. He wants us to win the AI race against all other countries in the world," he said. Vance added, "We also want to make sure that we're protecting people." Asked about new models that could pose security risks, Vance said the administration is taking a collaborative approach with tech companies. "It also does have some downsides," he said, "and we're trying to balance that safety against innovation." -- - O'Brien reported from Providence, R.I. Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed to this report.

Trump's last-minute AI order switch exposes White House divides

President Trump's abrupt decision to pull an executive order on artificial intelligence testing has exposed a deeper divide in the White House over how to oversee the technology's development without stopping its growth. After ushering tech leaders to the White House for a signing ceremony Thursday, Trump's 11th-hour decision to scrap the order displayed his administration's struggle to land on a unified AI stance as Silicon Valley holds sway at the top. Trump told reporters Thursday he "didn't like certain aspects" of the order, expressing concerns over how it could hinder the U.S. in its race with China to dominate AI development. The president reportedly reversed course after speaking with industry leaders, including former White House AI and cryptocurrency czar, David Sacks, who favors a more hands-off approach. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also reportedly spoke with the president on Thursday. "I think [the executive order] gets in the way of ...we're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I don't want to do anything that's gonna get in the way of that lead," Trump told reporters. "I really thought it could've been a blocker." Earlier Thursday morning, the invited technology companies received notice it was postponed just hours before the ceremony was set to take place, sources familiar told The Hill. According to a draft of the order obtained by The Hill, the directive would have laid out a process for AI companies to volunteer their models for government testing for a period of up to 90 days ahead of public release. Concerns over beating China in the so-called "AI race" have dominated the Trump administration's conversations around how to govern the development of AI. But the release of more advanced AI models like Anthropic's Mythos made AI safety a prominent issue for the White House in recent weeks, drifting away from its commitment to a pro-innovation, light-touch approach to policy around the emerging technology. The expected signing followed weeks of mixed messaging from the Trump administration on AI, as officials grappled with the emergence of Mythos and other cyber AI models. At one point, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett floated the idea of an "FDA-like" review process for new AI models, quickly prompting industry concerns that vetting would be mandatory. But White House chief of staff Susie Wiles stepped in, stating the administration is "not in the business of picking winners and losers." The draft order looked to quell these concerns, stating "Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the creation of a mandatory governmental licensing, preclearance, or permitting requirement for the development, publication, release, or distribution of new AI models, including frontier models." These assurances were not enough for some in the tech world. "Despite it being a 'voluntary' process, what is to say it stays that way?" a former Trump White House official granted anonymity to speak freely told The Hill Friday. Axios first reported Trump took calls from Musk, Zuckerberg and Sacks between Wednesday and Thursday morning, though Musk and a Meta spokesperson denied reports the calls were before the president's announcement. Musk claimed he "still doesn't know what was in" the EO and "Trump only spoke to me after declining to sign." Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said Zuckerberg spoke with Trump after "the event had already been canceled." Even so, technology firms were briefed on the order earlier this week, sources told The Hill. Tech policy analysts said the intervention of Sacks, an early PayPal executive and prominent venture capitalist, exemplifies the influence Silicon Valley still has in the White House despite departures from Sacks and Musk. Trump's decision "is a sign of the continuing influence of Silicon Valley with the Trump administration," Andrew Lokay, a senior research analyst at Beacon Policy Advisors, adding Sacks "seems to have the ear of the president on this topic and it makes me question what, if any, AI regulations may come out of the White House." "If you needed yet more evidence that the burden of frontier AI governance is going to rest principally on the private sector, you got it yesterday," Dean Ball, one of the primary authors of the White House AI Action Plan, wrote on X. The 90-day component also appeared to strike a nerve for some in the tech industry, given the rapid timelines of AI development. "The creation of covered frontier models and the process for a 90-day evaluation period effectively creates government oversight of industry to the extent that it could stifle innovation," the former White House official said. Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, said the 90-day period "seems extremely flexible." "Ninety days is a long time in the development cycle," Chilson told The Hill, adding, "It would give, especially the national security agencies, a foothold to hold things back in a way that might start small but could really cascade into something that looks like a preapproval regime." The controversy over Trump's decision resembles a larger battle between technology optimists and AI safety-oriented groups. While some AI development advocates prasied Trump for the last-minute switch, AI safety-oriented groups argued it was another win for Big Tech. "Rushing out half-baked AI policy is never a good idea. Just ask the EU. Hitting pause on the proposed AI executive order will give the administration more time to avoid unintended consequences," Daniel Castro, the president of the Information Technology and Innovation, wrote on X, referring to the European Union's stringent AI regulatory measures. Meanwhile, Sacha Haworth, the executive director of the technology watchdog Tech Oversight Project, said the White House "keeps handing Dems opportunities on silver platters to point out how Big Tech CEOs being in bed with lawmakers means the American people lose." The decision was a blow to those in favor of AI regulation, sowing even further doubt the White House will be able to get any guardrails across the finish line. If a "voluntary" process could not make it across the finish line, Lokay asked, "Is there anything even less stringent than a voluntary measure that could be possible?" Te apparent divisions within the Trump administration "could inhibit future policy development," leaving states to fill in regulatory gaps, Lokay argued. Just hours before the expected signing at the White House, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed an executive orderThursday, aimed at addressing the potential job losses from AI. The White House has urged Congress to create a federal framework to preempt state laws, but procedural hurdles and party disagreements have prevented any legislation from passing the finish line.

Trump abruptly halts signing AI order citing concerns with overregulating

President Donald Trump says rolling back a Biden EPA refrigerant rule will cut grocery prices, shipping costs and air conditioning expenses. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump abruptly halted plans to issue a long-awaiting executive order on artificial intelligence hours before prominent tech executives were set to attend an Oval Office ceremony to watch the president sign the order. Trump told reporters on May 21 he didn't like "certain aspects" of a draft order that White House officials prepared for the president to sign as he raised concerns about overregulating the industry. "I think it gets in the way," Trump said, touting U.S. innovation in artificial intelligence. "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." The signing ceremony, originally scheduled for the afternoon, was canceled. Just a few hours before Trump confirmed the postponement, White House officials held a morning phone call with reporters to preview an order ‒ typed out, but lacking Trump's signature ‒ that would make a federal government review of artificial intelligence models voluntary for tech companies before releasing the systems to the public. Although not mandating that AI models first be reviewed by the government, the order would represent more aggressive engagement with AI than Trump has pursued to date for the rapidly growing industry. Trump has taken a more lax approach with government intervention in the AI industry than his predecessor, former President Joe Biden. The voluntary framework, as outlined in the draft order, would create a process for AI developers who choose to engage with the federal government before releasing certain AI models. Participating developers would be asked to provide their models to the government 90 days before public release, and also give pre-public access to critical infrastructure providers such as banks, Reuters reported. "Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the creation of a mandatory governmental licensing preclearance or permitting requirement for the development, release or distribution of new AI models," the draft order states. Yet despite the assurance, Trump raised concerns that even a voluntary framework could impede on AI innovation. "I really thought that could have been a blocker," Trump said, without specifying which components in the order have him worried. Some AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, already voluntarily submit their models to the U.S. Center for AI Standards and Innovation for safety evaluations and testing before releasing to the public. A voluntary framework seemed to be a middle ground between tech executives who oppose mandatory AI requirements and MAGA activists, including the president's former chief strategist Steve Bannon, who have pushed for requiring AI developers to submit their AI models for government security tests. The draft order would also direct the expansion of advanced AI in national security systems, national critical infrastructure and states and municipalities. Contributing: Reuters Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.

Trump Postpones Signing Artificial Intelligence Order Out of Concern It Would Hurt the AI Industry

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump called off a signing ceremony Thursday for a new order on artificial intelligence because he worried it could dull America's edge on AI technology. Trump said he was postponing the signing because he did not like what he saw in the order's text. He announced the change hours before the event was scheduled to take place in the Oval Office. "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," Trump told reporters at an unrelated Oval Office event. The push for some kind of government action to vet the most powerful AI systems follows growing concern within the banking industry and other institutions about the leaps in AI's abilities to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world's software. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with Wall Street CEOs in April, warning them about the cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic's AI model, Claude Mythos. The meeting, urgently assembled at the Treasury Department's headquarters, was intended to ensure that banks were aware of the risks associated with the models, Bessent said at CNBC's "Invest in America Forum" in Washington in April. "This new Anthropic model is very powerful," he said. "Some banks are doing a better job in cybersecurity than others, and we want to have the ability to convene them and talk about what is best practices and where they should be heading." That led some allies of the Republican president to propose better methods for getting those AI tools in the hands of trusted cybersecurity experts. But an approach that could be perceived as government screening of commercial AI models would have signaled a significant shift in Trump's pledges coming into his second White House term to undo the AI safety regulations set by Democratic President Joe Biden. -- - O'Brien reported from Providence, R.I. Associated Press writer Fatima Hussein contributed to this report.

Who killed US President Donald Trump's AI order? Musk says it wasn't him

President Donald Trump's executive order on powerful AI models has collapsed. Allies in Silicon Valley reportedly convinced the president to pull the plug. The order aimed to implement new AI cybersecurity measures. This development highlights Washington's struggle to agree on AI guardrails. The United States lags behind Europe and Asia in AI regulation. Speculation swirled Friday over the last-minute collapse of President Donald Trump's planned executive order on powerful AI models, with fingers pointing at the president's allies in Silicon Valley who oppose government oversight of the technology. A draft of the shelved order leaked to US media shows the White House had prepared new AI cybersecurity measures before Trump pulled the plug Thursday. His former AI czar had reportedly called Trump directly to raise objections. The collapse is the latest sign that Washington remains unable to agree on even modest guardrails for the technology -- leaving the United States well behind Europe and Asia and far short of what many safety advocates say is needed. If enacted, the dropped executive order would have given the federal government up to 90 days of access to the most powerful AI models before their public release, while establishing a coordinated response to AI-enabled threats to banks, hospitals and other critical infrastructure. Politico and other media reported that David Sacks, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist who served as Trump's AI and crypto czar, called the president Thursday morning -- blindsiding White House staff -- to warn that the measure would slow innovation and hurt the US in its AI race with China. Officials believed Sacks supported the order, but the night before the planned signing he began raising concerns that the voluntary review process could one day be made mandatory. The Washington Post reported a broader account: Last-minute calls from Sacks, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg convinced the president not to sign. Musk denied the claim on his social media platform X. "This is false. I still don't know what was in that executive order and the president only spoke to me after declining to sign," he wrote. Meta also disputed the report, saying Zuckerberg had spoken to Trump only after the order was rescinded. Fear of Mythos To assuage concerns of government overreach, the draft explicitly stated that nothing in the order should be read as creating a mandatory licensing or approval requirement for AI models. According to The Information and other media, tech companies also pushed to cut the pre-release access window from 90 days to just 14. The order was triggered by concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model, which the AI startup has refused to release publicly over its ability to expose vulnerabilities in computer systems -- including those of banks, governments and hospitals. Sacks has said that concerns about Mythos and models of its power were legitimate and that defenses needed to be put in place, but cautioned that Washington policymakers were trying to take advantage of the situation. Speaking on his "All-In" podcast this month, Sacks said pre-release government approvals were "solving a problem that didn't really exist," since Anthropic and other AI companies were already keeping Mythos-like models away from the public. For Sacks, "AI ideologues or doomers" were trying to use Mythos to "create a permanent new infrastructure in Washington." The collapse of Thursday's effort leaves the administration with no formal plan for managing the security risks posed by the most powerful AI systems -- and no timeline for producing one. Trump scrapped an AI oversight order signed by his predecessor Joe Biden on his first day back in the White House. Biden's 2023 order required AI companies to share safety test results with the government and leaned heavily on voluntary commitments -- already a light-touch approach that fell well short of what many experts had called for. By contrast, the European Union's AI Act -- which entered into force in 2024 -- sets binding rules for high-risk AI systems, including mandatory transparency requirements and, for the most powerful models, obligations around safety testing and incident reporting.

Trump postpones long-awaited artificial intelligence order signing

President Trump has postponed the signing ceremony for his long-awaited executive order on a voluntary testing process for artificial intelligence models, Trump saying he "didn't like certain aspects of it." The White House told invited tech leaders Thursday morning that the ceremony was off, morning, just hours before the expected afternoon signing, two sources familiar told The Hill. "I postponed it," Trump told reporters Thursday. "I think it gets in the way of ... we're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I don't want to do anything that's gonna get in the way of that lead." "I really thought [the EO] could've been a blocker" to the country's AI development, Trump continued. The order was expected to lay out a process for AI companies to volunteer their models for government testing ahead of public release. It follows weeks of anticipation over how the White House would respond to new cybersecurity AI models, including Anthropic's Mythos, the company's most advanced model to date. Mythos, unlike most consumer-facing AI models, can find decades-old security vulnerabilities in software, online infrastructure, web browsers and more, according to Anthropic. The model's release shook the administration's commitment to its typical hands-off approach, prompting discussions about the government's involvement in new model rollouts. But Trump's latest comments indicate concerns even the voluntary process could hamper innovation. AI is "causing tremendous good and it's also bringing in a lot of jobs," Trump said. "Tremendous number of jobs."

Trump Backs Out Of AI Executive Order Amid Fears It Could Hurt US Tech Edge -- 'Don't Want To...Get In The

President Donald Trump on Thursday canceled plans to sign a new executive order on artificial intelligence after raising concerns that stricter oversight could weaken America's lead in the global 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," Trump told reporters, according to an Associated Press report. AI Debate At a White House briefing earlier this week, Vice President JD Vance said the administration wanted to remain "pro-innovation" while also addressing cybersecurity and privacy risks tied to advanced AI systems. "The president wants us to be pro-innovation. He wants us to win the AI race against all other countries in the world," Vance said, according to the AP report. He added: "We also want to make sure that we're protecting people." AI Wealth The administration has increasingly promoted AI infrastructure expansion as a key economic and geopolitical priority while also facing rising pressure from lawmakers, banks and cybersecurity experts calling for stronger safeguards around frontier AI systems. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by a Benzinga editor. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Trump calls off AI executive order over concern it could weaken US tech edge

President Trump halted an AI executive order. He feared it would slow America's technological progress. The order aimed to review AI's national security risks. This move comes amid concerns about AI's cybersecurity capabilities. Tech firms were to collaborate voluntarily. The administration seeks to balance innovation with safety. President Donald Trump called off plans to sign a new executive order on artificial intelligence hours before an expected White House ceremony Thursday because he said he was worried the measure could dull America's edge on AI technology. Trump said he was postponing the Oval Office event with tech industry executives because he did not like what he saw in the order's text. "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," Trump told reporters. The order would have established a framework for the government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems before their public release, according to a person familiar with the White House's deliberations with the tech industry but not authorized to speak about it publicly. The directive was being characterized as a voluntary collaboration with participating U.S.-based tech companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Google, the person said. The push for some kind of government action to review leading AI systems follows growing concern within the banking industry and other institutions about the leaps in AI's abilities to find cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the world's software. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with Wall Street CEOs in April, warning them about the cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic's AI model, Claude Mythos. The meeting, urgently assembled at the Treasury Department's headquarters, was intended to ensure that banks were aware of the risks associated with the models, Bessent said at CNBC's "Invest in America Forum" in Washington in April. "This new Anthropic model is very powerful," he said. "Some banks are doing a better job in cybersecurity than others, and we want to have the ability to convene them and talk about what is best practices and where they should be heading." That led some allies of the Republican president to propose better methods for getting those AI tools in the hands of trusted cybersecurity experts. Trump's hopes for AI have run up against voters' fears of its impact Trump had pledged to undo the AI safety regulations set by his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden. Trump's administration has viewed the AI sector as an engine to help deliver on his pledges to expand the economy and he has promoted its major players at events at the White House and around the world. Last week, Trump had tech CEOs in tow for a summit with China's Xi Jinping. Trump's ambitions for the sector have collided with the fears of voters over the impact of the technology on American life, jobs and electricity bills. Republicans themselves are divided over whether to embrace the AI industry or side with voters who express skepticism about the technology. Also complicating the government's interest in working with Anthropic on cybersecurity is the government's ongoing legal fight with the company. Trump in February ordered all U.S. agencies to stop using Anthropic's chatbot Claude after an unusually public clash between the Pentagon and CEO Dario Amodei. There are competing factions within the administration, said Serena Booth, a computer science professor at Brown University and former AI policy fellow in a Democratic-led Senate committee. "We do see this kind of public fighting," she said. "'We will release an executive order. No, we won't. We're going to sign it this afternoon. Oh, the signing is canceled.' I think this whiplash is because we're seeing these fractures.'" Some of those divides are balancing what Booth said is a "reasonable idea" to test the most capable AI models before their public release, with a concern that government scrutiny, if it takes too long, could burden AI developers. "It does come at a potential very large cost to innovation and speed of development," she said. "There is, I think, a real risk here and I do see both sides." The White House has pushed back against state laws seeking to regulate AI, saying the measures could curb growth. A new executive order that could have been perceived as government screening of commercial AI models would have signaled a significant shift in the administration's approach. At the same time, similar screening is already happening. Trump's Commerce Department announced earlier this month that it signed agreements with Google, Microsoft and Elon Musk's xAI to evaluate their most powerful AI models before their public release, building on previous agreements the Biden administration made with Anthropic and OpenAI. But the announcement later disappeared from the Commerce Department website. White House describes a balance between safety and innovation At a White House press briefing Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance declined to discuss specifics from the order but said the administration wants to promote innovation while also addressing cybersecurity threats and data privacy. "The president wants us to be pro-innovation. He wants us to win the AI race against all other countries in the world," he said. Vance added, "We also want to make sure that we're protecting people." Asked about new models that could pose security risks, Vance said the administration is taking a collaborative approach with tech companies. "It also does have some downsides," he said, "and we're trying to balance that safety against innovation." A former White House tech policy adviser who was a lead author of Trump's AI policy roadmap said the disagreements likely represent "healthy tension" in an administration that has long been wary of regulating the "frontier AI" companies like Anthropic, OpenAI and Google. "They don't want to do it because it's politically risky in a million different ways," said Dean Ball, now at the Foundation for American Innovation. Ball said he would welcome an executive order that would get those companies working more closely with the government on cybersecurity but "ultimately, I'm fine with them taking time to get this right."

Trump Delays AI Executive Order Over Competitiveness Concerns | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he did not want to take any action that would slow the U.S. down in its AI race with China, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday (May 21). The order would have asked AI companies to preview models with the federal government before public release. The order emerged from growing concerns inside the administration about cybersecurity risks tied to increasingly powerful AI systems, the report said. Those concerns escalated following the release of Anthropic's Mythos model, which officials and business leaders flagged because it can identify software vulnerabilities at an advanced level and could therefore be capable of cyberattacks. OpenAI is previewing a similar model to customers and, like Anthropic, is limiting access with the government's input. The order would have asked national security and cyber officials to work with agency leaders and top AI companies to address software vulnerabilities identified by these powerful models, according to the report. A separate cybersecurity section would have established a voluntary clearinghouse, led by the Treasury Department, to find and fix security vulnerabilities in unreleased models. The order's goal was to protect small institutions like community hospitals and banks that lack resources for sophisticated cyber defenses, the report said. Vice President JD Vance said at a Tuesday (May 19) briefing that the administration is working to balance safety and innovation. The White House notified tech company representatives of the postponement hours before a scheduled signing that was set to include industry executives, according to the report. It said the signing would be rescheduled. In March, the White House introduced a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence. It is a set of legislative recommendations the administration said is designed to help U.S. industry innovate while letting the public benefit from the technology and providing a consistent national policy.

Trump says he postponed signing AI order because he didn't 'like' it

President Trump said he postponed today's signing of an executive order on artificial intelligence because he "didn't like" all the details, arguing it would put American companies behind foreign competition. "I didn't like certain aspects of it, I postponed it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Follow The Post's live coverage of President Trump and national politics for the latest news and analysis "I think it gets in the way of, you know, 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.

Trump says he's postponing signing an executive order on AI out of concern it would hurt AI industry

WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump called off a Thursday signing ceremony for a new order on artificial intelligence because he worried it could dull America's edge on AI technology. Trump said he was postponing the signing because he didn't like what he saw in the order's text. He announced the change hours before the event was scheduled to take place in the Oval Office. "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," Trump told reporters at an unrelated Oval Office event.

Trump postpones AI executive order, didn't like parts of it

STORY: :: Trump postpones signing an executive order on AI because he 'didn't like' parts of it :: Washington, D.C. / May 21, 2026 "Because I didn't like certain aspects of it. I postponed it. I think it gets in the way of, you know, 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. We have a very substantial one. It's causing, it's causing a tremendous good and it's also bringing in a lot of jobs, tremendous numbers of jobs. Again, we have more people working right now than we've ever had. I really thought that could have been a blocker. And I want to make sure that it's not." // REPORTER: "In China last week with President Xi, did you discuss AI?" TRUMP: "I did. I discussed it, and he acknowledges how well we're doing. We're doing well. He's done with the two of us, and the two countries are fighting for it. Other countries are way behind. We're way behind. They're fighting for it. They want, everybody wants it, but they're way behind. But I didn't want to do it. I postponed that meeting, it was a press corps. It was exciting, actually, and because I didn't like what I was seeing." The order would create a voluntary framework for AI developers to engage with the U.S. government before the public release of covered models, two sources told Reuters on Wednesday. The president also had planned to direct the U.S. government to use the advanced models to improve the cybersecurity defenses of government systems, along with networks owned by sectors that are vital to the nation's economy, such as banks and hospitals, according to another source. The president's executive order, if implemented, could hurt the industry's profits if it slows the rollout of new models or prompts companies to change how they perform to address security concerns.

White House postpones Trump's AI signing ceremony, say sources

May 21 (Reuters) - The White House has postponed its planned Thursday ceremony for President Donald Trump to sign a new executive order on AI and cybersecurity, two sources familiar with the matter said. Axios, citing an internal note, was the first to report the news. The order would create a voluntary framework for AI developers to engage with the U.S. government about the public release of covered models, two sources told Reuters on Wednesday. (Reporting by Courtney Rozen, writing by David Ljunggren)

AI and cybersecurity: Trump delays govt action, as tech leaders give warning

On Thursday, the White House's much-awaited executive order on AI and cybersecurity plans suffered a dramatic change of fortune and was withdrawn from the schedule of events just before it was to be signed. Also read: OpenAI made more money than Anthropic, but ChatGPT growth has stalled According to sources privy to the discussions at the time, the decision came down to the same old reasons. For one thing, "he just hates regulation," and his advisor for AI, David Sacks, had the same sentiment. Furthermore, the order was seen as unnecessary, as well as something desired by the "doomers." "I didn't like certain aspects of it. I postponed it. I think it gets in the way of - you know, we're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I didn't want to do anything to get in the way of that lead," President Trump himself explained. The president received several phone calls in the process, with CEO of Meta Platforms, Mark Zuckerberg, and CEO of xAI Corporation, Elon Musk, both reaching out to the president from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning. This left the group who wanted this executive order in a tough spot. Those who were trying to push for AI regulation in Washington were happy that at least the White House was about to act on AI cybersecurity safety. However, it remains unclear when and if this will occur. Also read: From 95% to zero: Jensen Huang admits Nvidia has lost China's AI chip market to Huawei However, there were several other issues associated with this executive order that were never fully resolved. Firstly, there were concerns regarding the role that the Treasury Department played in organizing responses to security vulnerabilities. Traditionally, this issue has always been handled by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. According to one person in the tech industry, it is simply unclear why the Treasury Department should have such a prominent role and what qualifications they possess in terms of this problem. Moreover, there were certain technical issues as well. Even though frontier AI models are tested voluntarily by the Commerce Department via its Center for AI Standards and Innovation, some were worried that sharing information on this model for up to 90 days prior to the release of this product would prohibit the same process in allied countries interested in similar safety checks. The broader context, of course, is one where the White House has found itself in the position of having to juggle two conflicting forces: the desire to see US-based artificial intelligence companies thrive and succeed in international competition while coping with increasing public anxiety regarding the direction AI is heading in. Trump has been caught between the need to allow AI companies to thrive unimpeded by regulation and the rising tide of anti-AI sentiment among the populace and even his own party. This doesn't mean that more will not come. The White House Office of the National Cyber Director is already developing new initiatives for improving AI security separate from the defunct executive order, meaning that something will likely come out of all this.