Industry calls for US leadership in AI as a democratic imperative

Top tech firms are hoping a planned AI Export Program out of the Commerce Department will foster international consensus when it comes to promoting “democratic” AI frameworks and preventing “overly prescriptive” regulations.

Leading technology companies — including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Amazon Web Services — are hoping that a future artificial intelligence exports program can play a role in leveraging the U.S. AI stack to promote democratic usage of the technology.

Per a July executive order, the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration published a request for information in October calling for industry perspectives on the best format for the American AI Exports Program. After issuing an extension on the comment period, Commerce closed comments on the request Dec. 13.

“Democratic AI is built and distributed to benefit everyone, which is the core value of democracy; autocratic AI will be used by the state to assert control over people,” Benjamin Schwartz, OpenAI ...