--- title: "Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Woke AI" description: "President Donald Trump's second administration is all-in on artificial intelligence — just not the woke kind." date: "2025-01-24" modified: "2025-01-24" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/trump-executive-order-woke-ai" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "anti-woke" - "donald trump" - "politics" - "the digest" --- # Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Woke AI ![President Donald Trump's second administration is all-in on artificial intelligence — just not the woke kind.]() *\Image: Jim Watson / AFP via Getty / Futurism\* ## Guardrails Gone President Donald Trump's second administration is [all-in on AI]() — just not the woke kind. Amid his [weeklong flurry of executive orders](), the real estate mogul-turned-president [suggested in his latest]() that wokeness is, essentially, keeping AI down. "To maintain this leadership, we must develop AI systems that are free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas," the new AI order reads. "With the right Government policies, we can solidify our position as the global leader in AI and secure a brighter future for all Americans." Titled "Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence," this new order follows after [Trump revoked]() the Biden Administration's 2023 AI safety order, which was intended to make sure these systems [don't harm national security]() or humanity itself. Revoking that order as one of his first acts as president [sent a clear signal]() that Trump is following along with the GOP's 2024 party platform that supported "[AI development rooted in free speech and human flourishing]()," as opposed to the [prior administration's insistence]() on countering "irresponsible use \[that\] could exacerbate societal harms such as fraud, discrimination, bias, and disinformation." Now we're getting a taste of what that looks like in practice: Trump's sweeping action against [anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)]() that's already started a [purge within the government]() will be a key component of his AI policy, too. ## Go For Woke This order's mentions of ideology in AI also seem like they could have been inspired by Trump advisor Elon Musk, whose own "anti-woke" chatbot was built under a [similar directive](). Anyone who's used Musk's "Grok" chatbot knows, of course, that it's [failed spectacularly]() at its "anti-woke" aims — so much so that it actually [appeared to endorse]() Trump's rival in the election, Kamala Harris. Were things going well between the billionaire pair, it seems highly plausible that Musk would take credit for pushing his anti-woke AI agenda onto the president. Given that he just ticked off a bunch of his fellow flunkies for [criticizing Trump's $500 billion AI investment deal](), however, he's doing no such thing. Hilariously, Trump [dismissed his advisor's trash-talking]() by noting that Musk "hates one of the people in the deal" — a snide reference to Musk's antipathy toward OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who started that company with the South African-born businessman [nine years ago]() before the two had a severe falling out. While there's no telling who — [or what]() — is actually writing these rapidly-released executive orders, Trump's devil-may-care attitude about Musk's criticisms could be why he's chosen to include language that seems inspired by the advisor's own pet projects — or maybe they just all hate "woke." **More on Trump and AI:** [*Trump Admin Accused of Using AI to Draft Executive Orders*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()