Trump Vows to End ‘Woke’ Policies, Ignores AI Copyright Issues
▼ Summary
– President Trump stated the U.S. will not require AI companies to pay for copyrighted material used in training models, calling it impractical.
– Trump reiterated his anti-woke stance, criticizing “woke Marxist lunacy” in AI models during his speech at a summit.
– The Trump administration released an AI Action Plan with over 90 recommendations to reduce regulations and oppose “woke” AI in government contracts.
– Tech companies face legal battles over using copyrighted material for AI training, with a recent Senate bill opposing this practice.
– The AI Action Plan avoids addressing intellectual property, but Trump’s remarks clarify the White House’s stance against strict copyright enforcement for AI training.
Former President Donald Trump has pledged to dismantle what he calls “woke” policies while taking a hands-off approach to AI copyright concerns, signaling a major shift in how the government may regulate emerging technologies. During a recent summit, Trump argued that requiring AI firms to license every piece of copyrighted material used to train their models would stifle innovation. “Expecting companies to pay for every book or article their AI studies is unrealistic,” he stated. “It simply isn’t feasible if we want America to lead in artificial intelligence.”
The comments came at an event organized by the All-In podcast and the Hill & Valley Forum, where Trump’s tech advisor, David Sacks, has played a key role in shaping the administration’s AI strategy. The stance puts the White House at odds with a bipartisan Senate bill introduced earlier this week, which seeks to restrict AI training on copyrighted works without explicit permission.
Legal battles over AI and copyright have intensified since the technology’s rapid rise in 2022. Media companies, artists, and publishers have filed lawsuits alleging that AI firms improperly used their content to develop models without compensation. Trump’s position aligns with tech industry advocates who argue that strict licensing rules would cripple AI progress. Adam Eisgrau of the Chamber of Progress praised the approach, calling it “common sense” and emphasizing that AI-generated outputs are transformative rather than plagiarized.
A newly released 28-page AI Action Plan outlines the administration’s broader vision, including over 90 policy proposals aimed at outpacing China in the global AI race. The document criticizes excessive regulation, urging a rollback of Biden-era oversight and opposing state-level AI laws deemed too restrictive. One recommendation suggests withholding federal funds from states that impose “burdensome” AI regulations, a move championed by Sacks after a failed attempt to impose a nationwide moratorium on state AI laws.
The plan also reinforces Trump’s anti-“woke” agenda, proposing that federal contracts should only go to AI companies that avoid “ideological bias.” However, it notably sidesteps intellectual property issues, leaving Trump’s recent remarks as the clearest indicator of the administration’s stance.
As debates over AI ethics and copyright continue, the administration’s push for deregulation and its rejection of progressive policies could redefine the landscape for tech innovation. Updates are expected as the policy evolves.
(Source: Wired)
