Executive Orders: Paving the Way for Trustworthy AI in the Federal Government

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents both immense opportunities and significant challenges. Recognizing its transformative potential, the United States federal government has proactively issued a series of Executive Orders aimed at ensuring the responsible, secure, and trustworthy development and deployment of AI within its agencies and across the nation.

Key Executive Orders and Their Impact

Executive Order 13960: Promoting Trustworthy AI in the Federal Government (2020)

Issued on December 3, 2020, Executive Order 13960 provided crucial guidance for federal agencies on adopting AI to enhance service delivery and build public confidence. This order established core principles for AI use in government, mandated agencies to catalog their AI use cases, and directed the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to bolster AI implementation expertise within federal entities. Its focus was on creating a common policy framework for ethical and effective AI integration.

Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (2023)

A more comprehensive directive, this Executive Order from October 30, 2023, underscores the importance of balancing AI's benefits with potential risks such as bias, discrimination, and security vulnerabilities. It laid out policies to advance AI safety, encourage innovation, safeguard civil rights, and strengthen national security. A particular emphasis was placed on mitigating risks to critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and preventing the misuse of AI in harmful applications.

Executive Order 14179: Removing Barriers to American Leadership in AI (2025)

Looking ahead, Executive Order 14179, dated January 23, 2025, aims to dismantle obstacles hindering U.S. leadership in AI. This order seeks to encourage the widespread adoption of AI applications across various sectors, fostering an environment conducive to American innovation and competitiveness in the global AI landscape.

Executive Order: Ensuring a National Policy Framework for AI (2025)

Building upon the foundation of EO 14179, this Executive Order from December 11, 2025, strives to establish a uniform federal policy framework for AI. It explicitly aims to remove barriers to U.S. AI leadership, emphasizing that a strong American presence in AI will bolster both national and economic security. This order also includes a legislative recommendation for a consistent federal AI policy that would preempt conflicting state AI laws, with certain exceptions.

Laying the Groundwork: Earlier Initiatives

Executive Order 13859: Maintaining American Leadership in AI (2019)

The journey towards trustworthy AI began earlier with Executive Order 13859, issued on February 11, 2019. This order established the American AI Initiative, outlining key areas of focus including increasing AI research investment, leveraging federal AI computing and data resources, setting AI technical standards, developing the AI workforce, and fostering international collaboration.

Executive Order 14320: Promoting the Export of American AI Technology Stack

Further reinforcing the U.S.'s commitment to global AI leadership, Executive Order 14320 focuses on ensuring that U.S. AI technologies, standards, and governance models are adopted internationally. This initiative aims to strengthen alliances and maintain technological dominance in the rapidly evolving field of AI.

The Path Forward

These Executive Orders collectively demonstrate the federal government's commitment to harnessing the power of AI responsibly. By establishing clear principles, promoting innovation, and addressing potential risks, these directives are crucial in building public trust and ensuring that AI serves the best interests of the nation.