AI Action Day: Trump’s AI Agenda Gains Momentum with Executive Orders, Action Plan, and High-Stakes Industry Summit
President Donald Trump is intensifying his drive to make the United States the global leader in artificial intelligence, setting the stage for a sweeping policy rollout aimed at accelerating the deployment of AI infrastructure, slashing regulatory hurdles, and rallying private investment.
In January, Trump ordered his administration to produce a national AI Action Plan, declaring his intent to make “America the world capital in artificial intelligence.” The final version of that plan is due on July 23, and the White House is reportedly considering designating the date as “AI Action Day” to draw national attention and underscore the administration’s commitment to expanding the AI industry.
The upcoming report, expected to carry input from the National Security Council and other federal agencies, is being positioned as the strategic blueprint for both federal coordination and private sector engagement in the AI economy. Trump’s broader goal is to dismantle what he views as bureaucratic and ideological constraints imposed during previous administrations, replacing them with fast-track policies to boost innovation, infrastructure, and competitiveness.
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Executive Orders to Power AI’s Growth
According to policy details obtained by Reuters, Trump is preparing a series of executive actions designed to eliminate key bottlenecks in the energy and permitting systems that support AI infrastructure. Among the proposals are:
- A nationwide Clean Water Act permit that would simplify environmental clearances for AI-related construction projects such as data centers and power facilities.
- The prioritization of transmission projects that are already “shovel-ready,” particularly those critical to AI infrastructure.
- Use of federal land overseen by the Departments of Defense and Interior for rapid deployment of AI-supporting assets.
The executive orders, expected in the coming weeks, align with internal White House assessments that America’s grid and permitting system are woefully unprepared for the energy needs of the AI economy. Trump aides say that current regulatory barriers “risk surrendering the AI future to foreign rivals like China.”
AI and Energy Summit: Trump to Rally Support in Pennsylvania
As part of the administration’s AI offensive, President Trump is scheduled to headline an AI and energy summit on July 15 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hosted by Senator Dave McCormick. The event is expected to bring together leaders across AI, energy, and industry, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, and other tech and infrastructure executives.
The summit will focus on the interdependence of artificial intelligence and energy infrastructure, as well as the policies needed to accelerate data center growth and digital innovation. McCormick’s team has confirmed that the summit is not just a symbolic gathering but a prelude to coordinated state-federal action on AI.
The timing coincides with a major corporate investment in the state. Earlier this month, Amazon announced a $20 billion investment to build data centers in two Pennsylvania counties, underscoring the region’s strategic importance as an energy-AI hub.
The AI Action Plan
The AI Action Plan due on July 23 will likely serve as a roadmap for the next decade of U.S. AI policy. According to reporting by Reuters and Axios, the plan will:
- Emphasize AI’s role in national security and global competitiveness.
- Prioritize permitting reform and public-private partnerships.
- Outline training and workforce adaptation strategies for the age of digital labor.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy, alongside the National Security Council, is expected to lead the coordination of the plan, supported by senior administration officials and a new industry advisory council.
Trump’s January executive order, EO 14179, reversed many elements of the Biden administration’s more cautious AI approach. The order emphasized deregulation, free-market competition, and the need to prevent “ideological bias” in federally funded AI systems.
The Scale of AI’s Future—and Its Stakes
In recent remarks, Trump officials have warned that AI will soon become the largest driver of electricity demand in the country, outpacing electric vehicles and industrial growth. Some estimates project that AI-driven energy usage could double U.S. power demand within the next five years, especially with the rise of generative models and autonomous systems.
The administration believes this presents both a risk and an opportunity: unless grid and permitting challenges are resolved, the U.S. risks falling behind countries like China that are aggressively funding national AI systems.
With the July 15 summit and the July 23 report on the horizon, Trump is aligning political, financial, and institutional forces behind an AI-first strategy. Aides say the administration sees AI not just as a technology category but as a pillar of 21st-century geopolitical power.
It is not clear whether Congress will support these efforts, especially as lawmakers begin reviewing the forthcoming AI Action Plan. However, with major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Oracle expanding their AI footprints and backing state-level infrastructure investments, Trump’s strategy is quickly moving from policy outline to industrial reality.
In essence, the U.S. is now preparing for an AI race powered by silicon, steel, and deregulation—and Trump wants to be the one driving the charge from Washington.
