Donald Trump has issued a sweeping executive order targeting what he calls “woke AI,” demanding that any AI model funded by the federal government be ideologically neutral and devoid of principles such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. He argues that AI systems should prioritize “truthfulness and historical accuracy” over progressive values.
According to Trump, LLMs (large language models) must be strictly nonpartisan tools — they should not “manipulate responses in favor of ideological dogmas.” He specifically highlights concepts like critical race theory and systemic racism as undesirable influences in government-used AI.
Critics warn that this approach could backfire. Some argue the move is more about censorship than neutrality, giving the government leverage to pressure tech companies into aligning their models with a particular political agenda. Others raise First Amendment concerns, saying the policy could limit what publicly used AI systems can express.
Beyond ideological control, Trump also tied his AI push to broader goals of deregulation and tech dominance. As part of his “AI Action Plan,” he’s pushing to fast-track data center development and promote America as a global leader in AI export.
