On October 30, 2023, the United States issued an executive order aimed at regulating the development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models that could pose a “grave risk” to national security, economic security, or public health. This order mandated notification to the federal government regarding the training of such models, established standards for risk assessment, and tasked agencies like the Departments of Energy and Homeland Security with analyzing AI’s impact on critical infrastructure. Additionally, it instructed the National Security Council to draft a memorandum on AI use within the military and intelligence communities, as well as strategies to counter potential threats from hostile actors.
However, on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump rescinded this executive order, removing provisions that required transparency and oversight in the development of advanced AI models. From a personal data protection perspective, this decision alters the policies governing AI systems, allowing for the processing and analysis of vast amounts of personal information without sufficient safeguards for security and legitimate use.