Trump moves to give American AI companies more freedom from federal rules: Authorities confirm

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AI rules are shifting in Washington
Artificial intelligence is moving into a new policy phase in Washington. President Donald Trump is backing a voluntary approach that gives AI companies more room to manage safeguards and safety. The shift came into focus Sept. 29, when Trump met technology executives at the White House and announced an agreement covering how companies should oversee advanced AI systems for users. gints.ivuskans/Depositphotos
A White House meeting set the stage
On Sept. 29, Trump hosted major technology leaders for a White House luncheon focused on artificial intelligence. Several executives later appeared with him outside the West Wing in Washington, D.C. The group included leaders from Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Nvidia. Their meeting produced a voluntary accord on safety practices for companies developing advanced AI systems across major firms. Depositphotos
The accord uses voluntary action
The new accord asks companies to take responsibility for monitoring and controlling their own advanced AI systems for frontier model development. It does not create a new federal licensing requirement. Trump described the agreement as morally binding, while the document says companies are committed to using its safeguards publicly. It also says those steps could eventually become laws or regulations. Depositphotos
Four layers guide the safety plan
The accord outlines four layers of controls and audits for companies training or deploying frontier AI models. The first layer calls for strong internal monitoring during training and deployment processes. The other layers add an internal safety team, independent outside evaluation and board oversight. Together, those steps are meant to identify problems, review controls and fix issues promptly as needed. Fun fact: The term “artificial intelligence” was coined at a 1956 Dartmouth workshop that helped establish AI as its own field of research. Depositphotos
Outside auditors have a role
One part of the accord calls for independent external auditors or evaluators to assess whether company controls are working as intended during deployment. That adds a review outside the company. The document also says companies should monitor areas including cybersecurity and other serious risks.

The goal is to check whether safeguards operate properly during training and deployment of AI models. Depositphotos
Boards would oversee AI safeguards
The fourth layer calls for an independent board committee to oversee AI safety controls for safety decisions. The committee would receive reports from internal teams and outside auditors or evaluators. The agreement also says companies should address problems identified through those reviews. That places responsibility across management, technical teams, external reviewers and corporate boards instead of relying on one group. Depositphotos
Six companies signed the accord
The accord lists six technology companies as participants: Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Nvidia. Their representatives signed alongside Trump on Sept. 29 at the White House during the luncheon. The companies play different roles in the AI industry. Some develop models and consumer tools, while Nvidia supplies chips and computing technology used to build and run advanced large-scale systems. Depositphotos
Trump changed federal AI language
The same day, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to use “Super Intelligence” and “SI” instead of “artificial intelligence” and “AI” in most official communications across federal agencies. The order defines the new term using the existing federal definition of artificial intelligence unless changed by law. It also asks officials to propose a federal definition within 60 days. Depositphotos
Federal policy limits AI licensing
Trump’s June 2 executive order took another step toward lighter federal oversight of AI development. It says the order does not authorize mandatory federal licensing, preclearance or permits for development. The order instead directs the government to build a voluntary framework with AI developers for certain frontier models. It also calls for stronger cybersecurity work across government and critical infrastructure. Depositphotos
Voluntary AI guidance was not new
Voluntary AI guidance existed before Trump’s latest accord. The National Institute of Standards and Technology created its AI Risk Management Framework as a common voluntary resource for organizations managing risks. NIST says the framework is voluntary and can support testing, evaluation and risk management. Trump’s June order also called for voluntary cooperation between federal officials and developers of frontier models.

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The government keeps legal tools
A lighter regulatory approach does not remove existing federal laws or agency authority. Trump’s June order specifically says it does not affect legal authority already granted to federal departments generally. The Federal Trade Commission also continues work involving AI businesses and consumer issues under its existing authority. That means voluntary safeguards can exist alongside federal enforcement and oversight tools available. Little-known fact: MIT’s ELIZA, developed in the 1960s, was one of the first chatbots and simulated conversations with a psychotherapist. Depositphotos
The pact leaves room for new laws
The White House accord does not rule out future regulation. It says participating companies may eventually see these controls codified into laws or regulations or federal rules in the future. For now, the document focuses on internal controls, outside reviews and board oversight. That creates a framework for company practices while leaving Congress and agencies with existing powers over AI. For another look at how the administration is handling AI companies, check out how Trump blacklists “leftwing nutjob” AI company that drew line at weapons and surveillance. Depositphotos
What changes for American AI firms
The policy shift gives advanced AI developers a larger role in setting and checking their own safeguards. It also avoids creating new federal licensing rules under Trump’s June order. That does not mean AI companies operate without rules. Existing laws remain in place, while the new accord adds voluntary commitments aimed at safety, audits and corporate oversight for companies. For another look at how AI companies are responding to growing scrutiny, see why AI companies expand Tennessee lobbying as data center scrutiny grows. What do you think about giving AI companies more freedom from federal rules? Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know where you stand. This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing. Read More From This Brand:

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