Leading AI Companies Change Position, Advocate for Reduced Regulations with New U.S. Administration
Tech giants withdraw their previous backing for AI regulations, pursuing greater access to data and exemptions from copyright limitations in light of growing global competition.
In May 2023, executives from prominent artificial intelligence firms like OpenAI, Google's DeepMind, and Anthropic urged U.S. legislators to establish federal regulations for the swiftly evolving AI industry.
Their appeals for oversight centered on reducing existential risks associated with advanced AI systems, proposing measures such as algorithmic audits, content labeling, and collaborative data sharing on risks.
At that time, the U.S. government worked alongside AI developers to create voluntary commitments intended to ensure the safety and equity of AI technologies.
By October 2023, a presidential executive order formalized these principles, mandating federal agencies to assess the potential impacts of AI systems on privacy, workers' rights, and civil liberties.
Following a change in administration, the stance on AI policy underwent a notable shift.
Within the first week of the new presidential term, an executive order was issued to revoke the previous administration's directives and to foster policies aimed at enhancing American AI capabilities.
The new order called for the development of a national strategy to remove regulatory obstacles within one hundred eighty days.
In the weeks following this policy reversal, AI firms submitted documents and requests to contribute to the new framework.
One fifteen-page proposal from OpenAI urged the federal government to prevent individual states from establishing their own AI regulations.
It also cited the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, which developed a competitive model using a fraction of the computing resources typically needed by U.S. counterparts, to advocate for broader access to federal data for model training.
OpenAI, Google, and Meta have also lobbied for expanded rights to utilize copyrighted materials—including books, films, and artworks—for training AI models.
All three companies are currently facing ongoing legal challenges related to copyright infringement.
They have called for executive clarification or legislative measures confirming that the use of publicly available data for model training qualifies as fair use.
A significant U.S. venture capital firm also put forward a policy document advocating against any new AI-specific regulations, arguing that existing consumer safety and civil rights laws are adequate.
The firm called for punitive measures against harmful actors but opposed mandates that would impose regulatory requirements based on speculative risks.
This policy shift corresponds with increasing concerns among AI developers regarding intensifying global competition.
During the prior administration, leading U.S. companies operated under the belief that their considerable investments and computational capabilities offered a sustainable edge, especially as restrictions were placed on the export of advanced AI chips to countries like China.
Recent developments, including the introduction of advanced models by smaller foreign competitors, have challenged this view.
Some U.S. AI companies have re-evaluated the extent of their technological advantage and are now seeking faster access to resources and fewer regulatory hurdles.
This recalibration has resulted in a significant change in industry lobbying, with top AI companies now emphasizing competitive positioning over previous calls for cautious and collaborative oversight.
Their appeals for oversight centered on reducing existential risks associated with advanced AI systems, proposing measures such as algorithmic audits, content labeling, and collaborative data sharing on risks.
At that time, the U.S. government worked alongside AI developers to create voluntary commitments intended to ensure the safety and equity of AI technologies.
By October 2023, a presidential executive order formalized these principles, mandating federal agencies to assess the potential impacts of AI systems on privacy, workers' rights, and civil liberties.
Following a change in administration, the stance on AI policy underwent a notable shift.
Within the first week of the new presidential term, an executive order was issued to revoke the previous administration's directives and to foster policies aimed at enhancing American AI capabilities.
The new order called for the development of a national strategy to remove regulatory obstacles within one hundred eighty days.
In the weeks following this policy reversal, AI firms submitted documents and requests to contribute to the new framework.
One fifteen-page proposal from OpenAI urged the federal government to prevent individual states from establishing their own AI regulations.
It also cited the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, which developed a competitive model using a fraction of the computing resources typically needed by U.S. counterparts, to advocate for broader access to federal data for model training.
OpenAI, Google, and Meta have also lobbied for expanded rights to utilize copyrighted materials—including books, films, and artworks—for training AI models.
All three companies are currently facing ongoing legal challenges related to copyright infringement.
They have called for executive clarification or legislative measures confirming that the use of publicly available data for model training qualifies as fair use.
A significant U.S. venture capital firm also put forward a policy document advocating against any new AI-specific regulations, arguing that existing consumer safety and civil rights laws are adequate.
The firm called for punitive measures against harmful actors but opposed mandates that would impose regulatory requirements based on speculative risks.
This policy shift corresponds with increasing concerns among AI developers regarding intensifying global competition.
During the prior administration, leading U.S. companies operated under the belief that their considerable investments and computational capabilities offered a sustainable edge, especially as restrictions were placed on the export of advanced AI chips to countries like China.
Recent developments, including the introduction of advanced models by smaller foreign competitors, have challenged this view.
Some U.S. AI companies have re-evaluated the extent of their technological advantage and are now seeking faster access to resources and fewer regulatory hurdles.
This recalibration has resulted in a significant change in industry lobbying, with top AI companies now emphasizing competitive positioning over previous calls for cautious and collaborative oversight.
