White House Pivots to AI Self-Policing as US Allocates $13.5B to Autonomous Defense

The Trump administration hosted major tech executives to sign a 308-word voluntary safety pact, officially reorienting federal policy toward self-regulation and rapid AI growth. The White House canceled previous requirements for advanced AI developers to share safety test results with the federal government and signed an executive order blocking state-level AI regulations. The US government is allocating $13.5B specifically to autonomous systems and AI as part of its $1T defense spending, triggering an influx of venture capital into defense tech. Following the policy shift, three researchers at OpenAI were fired; the researchers claimed fear is stymieing safety work, while OpenAI stated they violated policies on handling sensitive information. The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, and other companies over potential dangers their technology may pose to consumers. "The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!" — Donald Trump.