Trump Delays AI Executive Order, Saying It Could Undercut US Lead Over China

President Donald Trump has delayed signing an executive order that would require developers to share advanced artificial intelligence models with the government before releasing them.

Reuters and other media outlets reported on May 21 that Trump had been set to sign the order at an event with chief executives of AI companies.

At the White House in Washington on May 21, Trump said the order would be an obstacle. “We’re ahead of China, and we’re ahead of every country, and I don’t want to do anything that could interfere with that advantage,” he said. He did not say which parts of the order he opposed.

The proposed order came as the US Defense Department and AI startup Anthropic clashed over the military use of Claude. It also followed concerns that hackers could misuse Mythos, Anthropic’s latest security-focused AI model.

The White House later began meeting with the technology and cybersecurity industries to discuss details of the order. The AI industry has raised concerns that the measure could hurt the sector if it delays new model launches or pushes companies to change performance to address security issues.

Since returning to office, Trump has taken a more flexible stance toward Big Tech than former President Joe Biden’s administration as AI has surged and the industry’s influence in the US stock market has grown. Still, some of Trump’s supporters, including members of the Make America Great Again movement, have urged the administration to put at least minimal safety guardrails in place for the technology.

Park Su-rim, Hankyung.com reporter paksr365@hankyung.com