On January 14, 2025, President Joe Biden signed an executive order titled "Advancing United States Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure".
This EO underscores the outgoing administration's commitment to maintaining the United States competitive edge in AI technology, which has profound implications for national security and economic growth.
Among the key objectives of the EO:
Development of AI Data Centers: The order mandates the Departments of Defense and Energy to identify and lease federal sites to private-sector entities for constructing large-scale AI data centers. The latter are essential for training and operating advanced AI models, ensuring that the U.S. remains at the forefront of AI innovation.
Integration with Clean Energy: Recognizing the substantial energy demands of AI infrastructure, the executive order emphasizes the development of clean energy solutions. By aligning AI data centers with renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar, wind, and nuclear power, the administration aims to meet the projected increase in electricity consumption—anticipated to reach up to 12% of the nation's total by 2028—while adhering to environmental sustainability goals.
Streamlined Permitting Processes: To expedite the establishment of AI infrastructure, federal agencies are directed to prioritize and streamline the permitting process. This includes potential "categorical exclusions" under the National Environmental Protection Act, facilitating quicker development timelines for AI data centers.
Economic Competitiveness and Security: The executive order aims to foster a vibrant and competitive AI ecosystem in the United States, supporting both large corporations and small enterprises. By building domestic AI infrastructure, the nation seeks to prevent adversaries from gaining access to powerful AI systems and to avoid dependence on foreign infrastructure for developing and operating these technologies.
Having reached the day of the inauguration of the new Trump administration, it is now time to see what will happen to this and Biden's previous intervention on the subject.