Trump's tech policy appointments ready to unleash AI
President-elect Donald Trump's tech policy team at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will strongly influence the administration's direction on AI.
Artificial intelligence is poised to stay top of mind for President-elect Donald Trump, who has named several tech and AI experts to lead the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
OSTP plays a coordinating role for tech policy across federal agencies and can have a significant impact on how the U.S. approaches certain technologies, including AI, said Doug Calidas, a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and senior vice president of government affairs for the nonprofit organization Americans for Responsible Innovation.
Trump appointed Michael Kratsios as the new OSTP director. Kratsios served as U.S. chief technology officer during Trump's first administration and his appointment to OSTP director indicates OSTP will have power and influence in the new Trump administration, Calidas said.
"He has Trump's confidence," Calidas said of Kratsios. "He stayed with him all four years during the first term and is widely respected as one of the minds of technology policy in D.C."
Trump highlights AI in tech policy team appointments
Trump named Lynne Parker to serve as counselor to OSTP's Kratsios as well as executive director of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, a committee that will be chaired by Trump's AI and crypto czar David Sacks. Parker also served in Trump's first administration and in the Biden administration as deputy U.S. chief technology officer and founding director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office.
Venture capitalist Sriram Krishnan, who previously worked at large tech companies including Microsoft, Meta's Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, will serve as senior policy advisor for AI at OSTP.
"Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in AI, and help shape and coordinate AI policy across government," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, described Trump's OSTP appointments as experienced in tech with "strong credentials."
AI will be a primary focus in the new administration, Republicans have already talked about unleashing AI and using it in the public sector to improve government efficiency.
Darrell WestSenior fellow, Brookings Institution
OSTP plays a pivotal role in formulating U.S. tech policy approaches to AI, something that will be important particularly as Trump looks to improve government efficiency and could potentially focus on AI as a tool to accomplish that, West said.
"AI will be a primary focus in the new administration, Republicans have already talked about unleashing AI and using it in the public sector to improve government efficiency," West said.
AI innovation will likely serve as OSTP's "North Star," Calidas said. It's important to both Republican and Democratic parties, as indicated in the AI policy roadmap issued by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in May 2024.
Even before the rise in AI prominence following the launch of OpenAI's generative AI tool ChatGPT in 2022, Trump named AI as a technological focus area during his first term, Calidas said. Trump also included AI in a list of industries of the future and issued an executive order on AI in 2019, largely led by Kratsios.
Calidas said emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing and semiconductors would be the focus areas for any presidential administration.
"These priorities are mostly set by what's happening in the engineering world and not so much by the White House," he said. The White House will determine the role of the federal government, he added.
Calidas said the White House could take on several roles, including funding technology advancements, advocating for research and development, issuing guidance, or calling for more regulation.
Under Trump, Calidas said he expects less emphasis on regulation and more light-touch guidance. Any AI restrictions are likely to be tied to national security rather than private sector uses of AI, Calidas said.
Biden's final week includes AI focus
President Joe Biden, in his final week in office, took additional steps to protect U.S. national interests in AI and bolster AI infrastructure.
Biden added to AI model and semiconductor export controls with a proposed AI diffusion rule to curb advanced technology access for foreign adversaries like China and Russia. He also signed an executive order for the federal government to support private sector companies in building AI infrastructure in the U.S, including AI data centers.
Trump's OSTP could play a role in upcoming conversations about export controls on AI models and chips, including Biden's rule about access to advanced AI models, Calidas said.
"I think you could see some involvement, even if OSTP is not driving the China map," he said.
Makenzie Holland is a senior news writer covering big tech and federal regulation. Prior to joining TechTarget Editorial, she was a general assignment reporter for the Wilmington StarNews and a crime and education reporter at the Wabash Plain Dealer.
