# US Alters AI Policy, Dismisses Global Regulatory Agreement
In a notable shift in policy, US Vice President JD Vance cautioned European nations against implementing “excessively cautious” regulations concerning artificial intelligence (AI). This statement follows the refusal of the United States and the United Kingdom to endorse a global declaration designed to ensure that AI remains “safe, secure, and dependable.”
## A Complete Change in US AI Policy
The US and UK chose not to participate in a communique ratified by around 60 nations at the AI Action Summit held in Paris. The declaration highlighted the necessity for AI to be open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, and secure. Although the commitments were non-binding, the US and UK had earlier shown support for similar accords during the Biden administration.
Representing the Trump administration, Vance affirmed that the US plans to preserve its leadership in AI development. “The Trump administration will guarantee that the most powerful AI systems are created in the US, utilizing American-designed and manufactured chips,” he declared. He also stressed that international regulations should promote AI innovation rather than hinder it.
## US Apprehensions Regarding Global AI Oversight
The US’s choice to dismiss the communique mirrors broader concerns about international AI governance. Officials indicated that the US was apprehensive about wording that advocated multilateralism and international cooperation. Concerns were also expressed that a new AI foundation initiated by France—Current AI—might primarily channel funding to French-speaking nations.
This shift in US policy arises amidst escalating rivalry with China in AI advancement, encompassing breakthroughs in chip manufacturing, foundational AI models, and AI-enhanced supercomputers. The recent introduction of an affordable AI model by DeepSeek, a Chinese research laboratory, has raised alarms among Silicon Valley companies like OpenAI, which had previously considered themselves leaders in the sector.
## Europe’s Initiative for AI Autonomy
While the US and China persist in dominating AI growth, Europe is working to establish itself as a significant contender. At the Paris summit, European leaders unveiled plans for €200 billion in investments in data centers and computing infrastructure aimed at bolstering AI innovation. French President Emmanuel Macron has been outspoken about the necessity for Europe to lessen its dependence on American and Chinese AI technologies.
Nonetheless, Vance’s comments at the summit highlighted the US’s strong position on maintaining leadership in AI. He further cautioned against collaborating with “authoritarian regimes,” clearly referring to China. “Joining forces with them means binding your country to an authoritarian power that seeks to infiltrate, entrench, and commandeer your information infrastructure,” he remarked.
## A New Phase in AI Geopolitics
Experts view the US’s revised AI policy as a marked deviation from the approach adopted by the Biden administration. Keegan McBride, a lecturer at the Oxford Internet Institute, described Vance’s speech as “a complete turnaround.” Frederike Kaltheuner, a senior EU and global governance lead at the AI Now Institute, mentioned that European leaders had aimed to contest US supremacy in AI, but Vance’s statements underscored that the US remains dominant.
As AI relentlessly transforms global economies and security frameworks, the geopolitical contest over its regulation and development is intensifying. The US’s dismissal of the AI declaration indicates a more assertive approach in safeguarding its technological advantage, laying the groundwork for additional tensions with Europe and China in the pursuit of AI leadership.
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**Source:** *Financial Times*
