Search
AI-powered search, human-powered content.
scroll to top arrow or icon

Trump's early action on AI

“The interesting thing about Donald Trump,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, “is that this is not his first time as president of the United States.”

As the 47th president begins his second term, conversations about artificial intelligence are again taking center stage. Speaking at Davos, Smith reflected on Trump’s earlier efforts to prioritize AI during his first administration, citing the groundbreaking 2019 executive order that laid the foundation for US leadership in the field.


The order focused on three key pillars: investing in AI research and development, skilling the workforce for the AI-driven future, and opening global markets for American innovation. Smith sees Trump’s return to office as an opportunity to reinvigorate these priorities with renewed energy.

With AI rapidly reshaping industries and societies, early signals from the new administration suggest a continued commitment to ensuring the United States remains at the forefront of this critical technological revolution. As Smith put it, “he has an opportunity to bring even more energy to that.”

This conversation, moderated by Becky Anderson, was part of the Global Stage series at the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, presented by GZERO in partnership with Microsoft.

Click to watch the full discussion for our panel's insights on AI's future and how it is expected to transform our economy and society by 2030.

More from Global Stage

Can we use AI to secure the world's digital future?

How do we ensure AI is safe, available to everyone, and enhancing productivity? It’s a big topic at this year’s UN General Assembly. That’s why GZERO’s Global Stage livestream brought together leading experts at the heart of the action for “Live from the United Nations: Securing our Digital Future,” an event produced in partnership between the Complex Risk Analytics Fund, or CRAF’d, and GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, sponsored by Microsoft.

Is the Europe-US rift leaving us all vulnerable?

As the tense and politically charged 2025 Munich Security Conference draws to a close, GZERO’s Global Stage series presents a conversation about strained relationships between the US and Europe, Ukraine's path ahead, and rising threats in cyberspace.

Using AI to diagnose patients with a smartphone but no healthcare access

Artificial intelligence is often seen as a futuristic tool—but for some global health challenges, it’s already the only solution. Dr. Juan Lavista Ferres, Microsoft's Chief Data Scientist, Corporate Vice President, and Lab Director for the AI for Good Lab, points to a powerful example: diagnosing a leading cause of childhood blindness in newborns.

AI adoption starts in the C-suite

Successful adoption of AI in business requires more than just access to tools, says Eurasia Group's Caitlin Dean in a Global Stage discussion at the 2025 UN STI Forum.

Winning the AI race isn't about who invented it first

Author Jeffrey Ding says that scaling AI, not just inventing it, drives national power. He shared insights on AI diffusion and inclusion in a Global Stage livestrem at the 2025 UN STI Forum.

Customizing AI strategies for every region, culture, and language is critical

As artificial intelligence races ahead, there’s growing concern that it could deepen the digital divide—unless global inclusion becomes a priority. Lucia Velasco, AI Policy Lead at the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies, warns that without infrastructure, local context, and inclusive design, AI risks benefiting only the most connected parts of the world.