In a move that has sparked concerns among AI experts and policymakers, President Donald Trump has rescinded a Biden-era executive order aimed at establishing safety guidelines for generative AI. The order, signed by Trump on his first day in office, reverses the Biden administration's efforts to ensure the safe and responsible development of artificial intelligence in the US.

The revoked executive order, signed by President Joe Biden in 2023, required developers of large AI models to share the results of safety tests with the US government. It also directed the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop standards for safety testing and tasked other federal agencies with assessing potential risks associated with AI, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure risks.

In addition to safety measures, the Biden-era order included provisions to protect workers and consumers. It commissioned a report on the impact of AI on the labor market and asked agencies to develop practices for addressing AI-enabled fraud and discriminatory algorithms. Trump's decision to rescind the order has raised concerns about the potential risks and consequences of unregulated AI development in the US.

Trump's move is seen as a priority for his administration, which has made the development of new AI tools a key focus. The President's inauguration was attended by several tech heavyweights, including Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Shou Zi Chew, Sundar Pichai, and Sam Altman, who donated to the President's inauguration budget. The presence of these tech leaders has sparked speculation about the potential influence of the tech industry on AI policy in the Trump administration.

The stage is now set for a showdown over the European Union's AI Act, which passed last year and created transparency requirements and bars certain uses of AI. The EU's AI Act is seen as a model for responsible AI development, and Trump's decision to rescind the Biden-era order may put the US at odds with the EU on AI policy.

Despite the rescission of the Biden-era order, other measures put in place by the Biden administration to boost AI development in the US may still survive. Before leaving office, Biden announced a new regulatory framework restricting some international sharing of AI chips and models. Additionally, Biden issued an executive order in January aimed at speeding the development of AI data centers on federal land. It remains to be seen how these measures will be impacted by Trump's decision to rescind the AI safety order.

The implications of Trump's decision are far-reaching, and experts warn that the lack of regulation and oversight could lead to unintended consequences in the development and use of AI. As the US and EU move forward with their respective AI policies, the world will be watching to see how these decisions shape the future of artificial intelligence.