For too long, the United States’ role in AI leadership has been a tale of two halves. On one side is technological leadership, where American companies have undeniably led the charge: driving breakthroughs, building the most advanced models, and setting the pace for what AI capabilities can do. On the other side is policy leadership, which shapes the vision, rules, norms, and conditions that govern the technology, ensuring it delivers vast economic growth, social progress, and protects democratic values.
Unfortunately, the U.S. presence on this end has been lackluster until now. The Trump administration’s AI Action Plan is a decisive set of solid policies that puts the United States front and center on the global stage, stepping up to sustain U.S. technological innovation, respond to rising geopolitical competition, and translate AI progress into tangible economic and societal gains at home and abroad.
The need for the United States to assert its policy leadership in AI is sorely needed. The global technological landscape has shifted, and China is quickly closing the innovation gap, backed by a coordinated national strategy and heavy investment in infrastructure, talent, and deployment. At the same time, America’s edge has been continuously dulled by a policy environment that adds friction through burdensome regulations, slow permitting processes for essential infrastructure, and fragmented rules across different levels of government.
The Action Plan confronts these issues head-on. It tackles the regulatory constraints that have slowed deployment, clears the path for data center and AI infrastructure construction, and boosts innovation by promoting open-source and open-weight AI models. It’s a shift from letting American companies carry the weight of leadership alone to giving them the right conditions to stay ahead.
The Action Plan doesn’t just aim to build the future; it also helps ensure Americans can live in it by accelerating the adoption of AI across the economy. It fosters a “try-first culture” across American industry by creating avenues, such as regulatory sandboxes, where businesses, from healthcare to manufacturing, can test and integrate AI tools with greater agility.
It also aims to empower the American workforce by prioritizing AI skill development through education and workforce funding streams, and by expanding apprenticeships and career and technical education programs to equip workers for the AI era. And critically, the plan ensures AI adoption within federal agencies themselves, streamlining how the government acquires and utilizes AI.
As countries around the world push forward with ambitious AI strategies, the AI Action Plan positions the United States to lead this vital global conversation. The EU has its AI Continent Action Plan, the UK has laid out its AI Opportunities strategy, France is working to “Make France an AI powerhouse,” and Germany has declared its goal to become an “AI nation.” The United States, with its unmatched technological scale, global reach, and strategic tools, is now putting its full weight on the global scale to tip outcomes in favor of its vision for how AI is built, used, and governed worldwide.
But it’s not just major allies or AI powerhouses that are watching. Around the world, countries at every stage of development are seeking accessible, affordable AI infrastructure. This is where the Action Plan’s pillar on AI diplomacy comes into play. The plan commits to expanding the export of full-stack American AI: hardware, models, software, and standards. It’s a deliberate strategy to meet global demand with U.S. technology, push back against rival influence, and shape the norms and systems that other countries adopt.
It also doubles down on strengthening alliances to build a united front against adversarial AI practices and ensure a dominant market for American AI systems globally. For U.S. allies, it is a pivotal moment. Now is the opportunity to join the U.S. AI alliance and share in its success. Those who miss this opportunity, by doubling down on protectionist policies and heavy-handed regulation of AI, will likely soon find themselves increasingly marginalized in the global AI economy.
The blueprint for lasting leadership is now on the table. This AI Action Plan signals that the United States is not only committed to pushing the boundaries of what AI can do but also ready to shape how it is built, deployed, and governed globally.
Image Credits: AI.gov
