The White House is considering the establishment of a new working group to oversee artificial intelligence development, which may include the authority to conduct federal reviews of new AI models before their public release. No final decision has been made, and the proposal could still be abandoned, according to sources cited by The New York Times.
"No final decision has been made, and the proposal could still be abandoned."
Proposed Structure and Powers
The proposed oversight group would have the potential power to review new AI models before they are launched to the public. The working group, composed of tech leaders and government representatives, would outline potential oversight procedures, including formal review processes prior to market release.
The planned approach reportedly resembles the United Kingdom's multi-layer oversight system for AI safety standards, though the UK's own regulatory process has faced challenges.
Agency Oversight
The working group would determine which U.S. agencies would be tasked with oversight. Officials have suggested several candidates, including:
- The National Security Agency (NSA)
- The White House Office of the National Cyber Director
- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Other officials have proposed revitalizing the Biden-era Center for A.I. Standards and Innovation.
Context and Policy Shift
The proposal represents a shift from the White House's previously released AI Action Plan, which had a less interventionist approach and appeared to accommodate many industry preferences. The administration has reversed its stance on AI regulation in recent months.
The administration announced a federal AI action plan that reduced regulation of tech companies and threatened to cut federal funding for states that impeded AI infrastructure efforts through regulation. The "One Big Beautiful Bill" included limits on state governments' AI regulation, originally proposing a 10-year moratorium on state action in favor of federal oversight. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, has advocated for a light-touch approach to AI regulation.
Meeting and Industry Discussion
The proposed plans were discussed at a White House meeting last week with representatives from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI.
Verification
The New York Times reported these developments based on anonymous sources. The White House has not confirmed the plan.