Leading AI Companies Change Position, Advocate for Reduced Regulations with New U.S. Administration
Tech giants are withdrawing their previous backing for AI regulation, aiming for greater access to data and exemptions from copyright limitations as global competition intensifies.
In May 2023, leaders from prominent artificial intelligence firms, including OpenAI, Google’s DeepMind, and Anthropic, urged U.S. lawmakers to implement federal regulations for the swiftly evolving AI industry.
The push for oversight was aimed at reducing existential threats posed by advanced AI systems, with suggestions including algorithmic audits, content labeling, and shared risk data.
At that time, the U.S. government collaborated with AI developers to establish voluntary commitments intended to ensure the safety and fairness of AI technologies.
In October 2023, a presidential executive order formalized these principles, mandating federal agencies to assess the potential effects of AI systems on privacy, workers' rights, and civil liberties.
After a change in administration, the strategy regarding AI policy underwent a significant transformation.
In the initial week of the new presidential term, an executive order was enacted to revoke the previous administration’s directives and encourage policies that foster the development of American AI capabilities.
The new directive called for the creation of a national strategy to remove regulatory obstacles within one hundred eighty days.
In the weeks following this policy shift, AI companies submitted documents and requests to influence the new regulatory framework.
One fifteen-page document from OpenAI urged the federal government to stop individual U.S. states from imposing their own AI regulations.
It also mentioned the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, which trained a competitive model using a fraction of the resources usually needed by American companies, to argue for wider access to federal data for model training.
OpenAI, Google, and Meta have also been lobbying for broader rights to utilize copyrighted materials—including books, films, and artwork—for training AI models.
All three companies are currently facing ongoing legal disputes regarding copyright infringement.
They have sought executive clarification or legislative changes to confirm that using publicly available information for training models qualifies as fair use.
A significant U.S. venture capital firm also presented a policy document advocating against any new AI-specific regulations, contending that existing consumer protection and civil rights laws are adequate.
The firm supported strict measures against harmful entities but opposed requirements that would impose regulatory duties based on hypothetical risks.
This policy realignment coincides with increasing concerns among AI developers about escalating global competition.
During the prior administration, major U.S. firms believed that their substantial investments and computational power granted them a lasting advantage, especially as restrictions were placed on exporting advanced AI chips to nations like China.
Recent events, including the release of sophisticated models by smaller foreign competitors, have challenged this belief.
Some U.S. AI companies have reevaluated the extent of their technological advantage and are now pursuing faster access to resources with fewer regulatory limitations.
This adjustment has resulted in a notable shift in industry lobbying, with leading AI firms now emphasizing competitive positioning over earlier demands for careful and collaborative oversight.
The push for oversight was aimed at reducing existential threats posed by advanced AI systems, with suggestions including algorithmic audits, content labeling, and shared risk data.
At that time, the U.S. government collaborated with AI developers to establish voluntary commitments intended to ensure the safety and fairness of AI technologies.
In October 2023, a presidential executive order formalized these principles, mandating federal agencies to assess the potential effects of AI systems on privacy, workers' rights, and civil liberties.
After a change in administration, the strategy regarding AI policy underwent a significant transformation.
In the initial week of the new presidential term, an executive order was enacted to revoke the previous administration’s directives and encourage policies that foster the development of American AI capabilities.
The new directive called for the creation of a national strategy to remove regulatory obstacles within one hundred eighty days.
In the weeks following this policy shift, AI companies submitted documents and requests to influence the new regulatory framework.
One fifteen-page document from OpenAI urged the federal government to stop individual U.S. states from imposing their own AI regulations.
It also mentioned the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, which trained a competitive model using a fraction of the resources usually needed by American companies, to argue for wider access to federal data for model training.
OpenAI, Google, and Meta have also been lobbying for broader rights to utilize copyrighted materials—including books, films, and artwork—for training AI models.
All three companies are currently facing ongoing legal disputes regarding copyright infringement.
They have sought executive clarification or legislative changes to confirm that using publicly available information for training models qualifies as fair use.
A significant U.S. venture capital firm also presented a policy document advocating against any new AI-specific regulations, contending that existing consumer protection and civil rights laws are adequate.
The firm supported strict measures against harmful entities but opposed requirements that would impose regulatory duties based on hypothetical risks.
This policy realignment coincides with increasing concerns among AI developers about escalating global competition.
During the prior administration, major U.S. firms believed that their substantial investments and computational power granted them a lasting advantage, especially as restrictions were placed on exporting advanced AI chips to nations like China.
Recent events, including the release of sophisticated models by smaller foreign competitors, have challenged this belief.
Some U.S. AI companies have reevaluated the extent of their technological advantage and are now pursuing faster access to resources with fewer regulatory limitations.
This adjustment has resulted in a notable shift in industry lobbying, with leading AI firms now emphasizing competitive positioning over earlier demands for careful and collaborative oversight.
Translation:
Translated by AI
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