Exclusive: Trump plans executive orders to power AI growth in race with China

 

Sources indicate that the Trump administration is preparing a series of executive orders aimed at boosting the US's artificial intelligence growth as part of its ongoing competition with China. The central focus of these orders appears to be on addressing the immense energy demands of AI infrastructure.

Here's what the reports suggest:

 * Boosting Energy Supply: The executive actions are primarily designed to increase the energy supply needed to power the expansion of AI in the United States. AI data centers are incredibly power-hungry, and their rapid growth is straining existing grids in many states.

 * Streamlining Infrastructure Development: Measures under consideration include:

   * Making it easier for power-generating projects to connect to the grid.

   * Providing federal land for the construction of AI data centers.

   * Simplifying the permitting process for these facilities, potentially even including a nationwide Clean Water Act permit for data centers.

 * "AI Action Plan" and Public Awareness: The administration is expected to release a comprehensive "AI Action Plan" by July 23, 2025, outlining strategies to make the US the "world capital in artificial intelligence." They also plan to hold public events to highlight these efforts.

 * Prioritizing AI in National Strategy: Winning the AI race against China has been a stated priority for the Trump administration. This is seen as crucial for maintaining an economic and military edge.

 * Reducing Regulatory Barriers: The administration has previously emphasized a desire to reduce regulatory obstacles to the rapid expansion of AI technology, a stance that contrasts with more safety-centric approaches to AI governance.

 * "Stargate" Project: Earlier this year, the White House announced a $500 billion "Stargate" partnership, a private sector initiative to invest in AI infrastructure in the US, further underscoring the focus on domestic AI development.

This move reflects the understanding that the "AI race" with China isn't just about software and algorithms, but also about the underlying physical infrastructure and power capacity to support it. The proposed executive orders aim to remove bottlenecks in energy supply and land availability to accelerate the build-out of crucial AI data centers.