"Woke" AI to Be Banned from Federal Contracts
Significant Impact Expected Across the Industry
The Donald Trump administration is expanding its efforts to remove progressive influences, now extending these moves into the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
On the 17th (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing multiple sources, reported that the White House is preparing an executive order targeting so-called "woke" AI. The term "woke" is used critically to refer to behaviors that emphasize or impose progressive values such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The Trump administration has recently begun to intensify efforts to eliminate such "woke" elements across the federal government.
The order will require AI companies with federal contracts to ensure their products are politically neutral and free from bias.
As major technology companies compete to have their AI tools adopted by the federal government, the WSJ pointed out that this executive order could have a significant impact across the industry. In particular, it is expected to make developers more cautious when designing and training AI models.
AI models often generate information that is not factual or display unexpected reactions, a phenomenon known as "hallucination." Because AI learns from vast amounts of internet data and publications, it is difficult to clearly trace the cause when inaccurate or biased results occur.
The WSJ noted that if this executive order targeting "woke AI" ends up favoring certain technology companies, it could spark controversy over government favoritism. For example, xAI, the AI startup founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has made anti-woke its top priority. In contrast, Anthropic, an AI company recognized as a competitor to OpenAI, has hired many senior officials from the former Biden administration and is regarded as taking a distinctly progressive approach. Although Anthropic has stated that its actions are not politically motivated, sources say this has made the company a target of criticism from the Trump administration.
President Trump is expected to announce an action plan related to AI next week. In addition to the executive order on woke AI, he is also expected to unveil several executive orders outlining his vision for winning the AI competition with China. According to sources, these measures are likely to include steps to promote the export of U.S.-made chips and AI tools by utilizing agencies such as the Export-Import Bank, expediting the permitting process for data centers, and accelerating the expansion of energy production.
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