President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at strengthening U.S. cybersecurity with advanced artificial intelligence tools while expanding cooperation between federal agencies and leading AI companies. The order, titled 'Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security,' establishes a voluntary framework for identifying and reviewing powerful AI models before broader release, with developers able to submit models to the government for evaluation for up to 30 days before releasing them to trusted partners. The move addresses national security considerations from evolving AI capabilities while seeking to maintain America's technological edge. The signing comes weeks after Trump delayed a similar proposal in May, saying parts of it could slow U.S. AI development and weaken America's position in its competition with China.
Executive Order Establishes Voluntary AI Model Review Process
The executive order directs agencies to accelerate the use of AI-powered cybersecurity tools, create an AI cybersecurity clearinghouse, and establish a process for identifying advanced AI models. The order states that "advanced AI capabilities make our nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments and agencies (agencies), and components."
Agencies will establish a classified review process under which the National Security Agency would determine whether advanced AI systems qualify as covered frontier models. Developers will be able to voluntarily provide those models to the government for evaluation for a period of up to 30 days before they plan to release such models to other trusted partners.
The executive order seeks to reassure AI developers that the new framework will not create a formal approval process for releasing new models. The order comes as Trump attempts to establish a federal regulatory framework around AI as a growing number of states move forward with their own legislation.
Trump Delayed Similar Order in May Over China Competition Concerns
In May, Trump delayed signing a similar executive order, saying parts of the proposal could slow U.S. AI development and weaken America's position in its competition with China. The Tuesday signing represents the administration's effort to balance national security oversight with maintaining U.S. technological leadership.
Public Citizen Criticizes Voluntary Framework as Insufficient
Critics of Trump's executive order say the framework relies too heavily on voluntary cooperation from the AI companies it is meant to oversee. J.B. Branch, AI governance and technology policy counsel at consumer advocacy nonprofit Public Citizen, said in a statement: "Models powerful enough to threaten cybersecurity and national security warrant real oversight. Congress and the administration should enact comprehensive federal AI legislation with enforceable safeguards, transparency requirements, independent testing, and meaningful protections for workers, consumers, children, and civil rights."
Anthropic Claude Mythos Model Raised Cybersecurity Concerns in April
The effort to draft an AI-focused executive order gained momentum after concerns surrounding Anthropic's Claude Mythos model, which demonstrated an ability to identify software vulnerabilities and raised questions among officials about the national security implications of increasingly capable AI models.
In April, following the reveal of Mythos, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and then Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reportedly convened a meeting with Wall Street bank CEOs, warning about cybersecurity risks tied to a new artificial intelligence model.
Despite these concerns, Anthropic has continued to roll out limited access to Mythos. On Tuesday, the Claude AI developer said it is expanding access to its Claude Mythos AI model through Project Glasswing, a program meant to let tech and security firms and governments discover and address potential exploits before the powerful model is publicly launched—which the company hinted last week would be "in the coming weeks."
Order Directs Criminal Enforcement Against Unlawful AI Use
The order calls for tougher enforcement against criminal uses of AI, including breaching any public or private information technology system, or "employing AI agents to unlawfully access data or information that is subsequently used for a criminal or unlawful purpose."
Last month, federal prosecutors charged two men with using AI to generate and distribute sexually explicit images of women without their consent, marking one of the first major enforcement actions under the new Take It Down Act.
FAQ
What did President Trump's AI executive order establish on Tuesday?
President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday titled "Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security" that establishes a voluntary framework for AI developers to submit powerful AI models to the government for evaluation for up to 30 days before releasing them to trusted partners. The order directs federal agencies to accelerate the use of AI-powered cybersecurity tools and establishes a classified review process under which the National Security Agency would determine whether advanced AI systems qualify as covered frontier models.
Why did Trump delay signing a similar AI executive order in May?
In May, Trump delayed signing a similar executive order, saying parts of the proposal could slow U.S. AI development and weaken America's position in its competition with China. The Tuesday signing represents a revised approach aimed at balancing national security oversight with maintaining U.S. technological leadership in artificial intelligence.
What role did Anthropic's Claude Mythos model play in the executive order?
The effort to draft the AI-focused executive order gained momentum after concerns surrounding Anthropic's Claude Mythos model, which demonstrated an ability to identify software vulnerabilities and raised questions among officials about the national security implications of increasingly capable AI models. In April, following the reveal of Mythos, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and then Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reportedly convened a meeting with Wall Street bank CEOs, warning about cybersecurity risks tied to the new artificial intelligence model.
