President Trump Orders National Security Agencies to Accelerate AI Adoption
President Trump issued a new memo ordering national security agencies to accelerate the adoption of AI. It also revokes certain provisions from the Biden administration which the current administration said created barriers to AI adoption.
The memo establishes a “new framework to put the most advanced, secure, and reliable AI systems into the hands of America’s warfighters and intelligence professionals while ensuring their responsible use.”
And it comes just days after President Trump issued an executive order asking AI companies to submit advanced AI models to the federal government “up to 30 days before they plan to release such models to other trusted partners.”
Four Pillars
The memo says the development and use of AI for national security will be guided by four pillars.
Adoption: National security agencies are told to eliminate barriers to rapid deployment and to maintain “deep, proactive partnerships with industry.”
Adaptation: Impacted agencies are told to adapt commercial or open-source AI technologies that leverage the “most cutting-edge capabilities available from diverse suppliers across the private sector.”
Assurance: The national security enterprise shall assure that all AI technologies adopted are designed to be reliable, robust, steerable, and controllable, and that they operate, in accordance with applicable laws, government policies, and guidance.
Accountability: The memo says the use of AI technologies must not censor free speech, embed ideological bias, or conduct unauthorized or unlawful surveillance activities.
It also directs the Committee on National Security Systems and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue policy within 90 days for governing AI use in national security systems, including implementation and reporting requirements.
Contract Termination
One of the key points: The memo states that agencies may terminate contracts with companies that repeatedly engage in conduct inconsistent with the policy objectives laid out in the memo.
That comes as the administration has been embroiled in a dispute with Anthropic, maker of the AI-tool Claude.
Anthropic has pushed back on allowing its models to be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, citing its safety policies. The White House later ordered federal agencies to cut ties with Anthropic. Anthropic is suing over the termination.
