President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on artificial intelligence on Tuesday — coming just under two weeks after he dismantled a previous order in the same field. According to MIT Technology Review, the new order emphasizes advancing AI development and removing what it describes as unnecessary regulatory barriers for the private sector.

Five Key Points in the New Order

Although the full text of the order is complex, MIT Technology Review highlights five central elements that define the direction of Trump's new AI policy:

1. Innovation over regulation. The order sends a clear signal that the administration prioritizes speed and competitiveness over strict federal oversight mechanisms.

2. National AI infrastructure. The order calls for investment in the underlying infrastructure needed to scale AI broadly, including energy and computing capacity.

3. Support for open source. The administration signals backing for open AI models as a tool for maintaining American technological leadership.

4. International AI diplomacy. The US will actively shape global norms for AI governance, in part to keep China and other rivals at bay in international forums.

5. Workforce training. The order includes measures to strengthen the skills of American workers affected by AI development.

Trump Signs New AI Order: Here Are the 5 Key Points - Bilde 1

A Geopolitical Race in the Background

Trump's AI order must be read against the backdrop of intense rivalry between the world's major powers. According to available research data, the US invested $109.1 billion in private AI in 2024 — more than ten times China's $9.3 billion in private capital the same year. Yet the picture is far more nuanced than those figures alone suggest.

China is betting heavily on patents and research. As of April 2025, the country had registered 1.57 million AI patents — nearly 39 percent of all AI patents filed globally. In terms of scientific AI publications in 2024, China matched the combined output of the US, the UK, and the EU, according to the same research base.

American export controls have reportedly made Chinese AI "leaner, more efficient, and in some ways more formidable" than before

A prime example is the DeepSeek model, which demonstrated that algorithmic innovation can compensate for limited access to advanced chips — a direct consequence of US export controls.

The EU Falls Behind

While the US and China invest massively, the EU is struggling to hold its own on the sharpest AI indicators. Only three leading AI models were developed in Europe in 2024, compared to 40 in the US and 15 in China. Private capital flowing to European AI companies reached $14.9 billion last year — significant, but far below the American level.

The European Commission's ambition is to mobilize up to €200 billion through the InvestAI initiative, but the road there is long. Only 60 percent of Europeans had basic digital skills as of 2025, and two-thirds of the population fear that AI will destroy more jobs than it creates.

The US leads on capital and models — but China leads on patents, engineers, and research

What Does This Mean Going Forward?

Trump's decision to scrap the previous AI order and quickly replace it with a new one shows that AI policy is moving fast in Washington. Critics will point out that frequent policy shifts create uncertainty for businesses and international partners. Supporters will argue that the new order gives the tech sector the freedom to compete without restraint.

What is clear is that AI has become a core issue in geopolitics — and that the administration's choices over the coming months will have consequences far beyond America's borders.

Sources: MIT Technology Review (03.06.2026), AI strategy analysis from research base on the US, China, and the EU