Articulating Biden's Perspective: AI represents both a groundbreaking technology and a significant threat, according to the President.
In a recent address, U.S. President Joe Biden underscored the importance of America leading the development of artificial intelligence (AI), a technology he described as the most significant of the current time. Biden's speech highlighted the potential benefits and risks that AI poses for the economy, security, and society.
During his tenure, Biden had advocated for tightly controlled, privacy-conscious, and risk-managed AI development, emphasizing safety and trustworthy AI through agency guidance and regulation. These measures included safeguards for privacy, algorithmic transparency, federal standards, and interagency coordination to manage job, national security, and privacy risks.
However, many of these specific Biden-era measures were revoked or superseded by the 2025 Trump administration's AI Action Plan, which focused on deregulation and technological competitiveness. The Trump administration's plan prioritised accelerating innovation, building AI infrastructure, and leading in international diplomacy and security.
Notably, the Biden administration had proposed establishing federal guidelines and frameworks such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework. They also aimed to implement regulations for algorithmic transparency and privacy protections, including the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability Rule, with federal requirements for AI in healthcare predictive software.
Despite these efforts, the current federal AI policies reflect the Trump administration’s priorities, with no fully detailed updated Biden administration AI measures found in the search results after the revocations.
Biden also emphasised the importance of people remaining in control in the age of AI, a sentiment that resonates with his call for safeguards to protect privacy and manage risks. However, he did not mention any new potential benefits or perils of AI in the current paragraph.
In addition to his AI-related concerns, Biden addressed other topics in his speech, such as the need for fact-checking on social media platforms and the importance of America maintaining control over advanced technologies, including computer chips. He also signed an executive order to provide federal support for the energy demands of data centers powering AI technologies.
As Biden's presidency comes to an end, his farewell address outlined key steps for the incoming administration, emphasising the need for America to lead the development of AI and maintain control in this rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Technology continues to be a focal point for President Biden, with artificial intelligence (AI) being highlighted as a significant area of focus. Despite the Trump administration's focus on deregulation, Biden had advocated for tightly controlled, privacy-conscious, and risk-managed AI development.
