The Most Significant AI Policy Developments in the United States in 2019

The federal government took several important steps that prioritized AI development and deployment and positioned the United States to strengthen its global AI leadership, beginning with President Trump's "Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence," which set the tone for the rest of the year. February 11: President Trump issued Executive Order 13859, "Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence," which launched the American AI Initiative, the official U.S. national AI strategy. The initiative includes five pillars: investing in AI research and development, making federal AI resources more available, setting standards for AI, training an AI workforce, and promoting a pro-innovation international environment. The executive order stresses the importance of "continued American leadership" in AI to "maintaining the economic and national security of the United States," as President Trump wrote in a press release accompanying the order. April 2: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed regulatory framework for AI-based software as a medical device, including as a tool for disease detection, diagnosis, targeted therapies, or personalized medicine.