Trump signs a scaled-back executive order on AI. Critics say it's almost meaningless.

By Victor Reklaitis

Supporters see a 'common-sense, light-touch framework designed to get the federal government's gears in motion'

President Trump has signed an executive order on AI after all. This photo shows robots dancing Sunday during the opening of what was described as an "embodied intelligence experience store" in Shanghai.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order on artificial intelligence that aims to set up a framework for AI companies to voluntarily inform the federal government about new models 30 days before their release.

About two weeks ago, Trump had been slated to sign an order with a review window of 90 days in an Oval Office ceremony - but he called it off, saying he was worried about hindering U.S. AI companies as they compete against Chinese rivals.

The signing on Tuesday didn't happen in a public ceremony, and the final version of the executive order drew criticism.

The order was described as "on the verge of meaningless" by J.B. Branch, counsel for AI governance and technology policy at Public Citizen, a left-leaning advocacy organization.

"Models powerful enough to threaten cybersecurity and national security warrant real oversight. Congress and the administration should enact comprehensive federal AI legislation with enforceable safeguards, transparency requirements, independent testing and meaningful protections for workers, consumers, children and civil rights," Branch said in a statement.

Even so, the executive order represents a shift by the Trump administration, which had adopted a hands-off approach toward the booming AI field shortly after Inauguration Day last year. One driver of the shift was Anthropic's limited April release of Claude Mythos - with that model withheld from the general public because of its ability to autonomously find and exploit software vulnerabilities.

Anthropic on Tuesday announced it has extended its release of Mythos to about 150 new organizations, following several weeks of collaboration with the U.S. government and other players.

Trump's order on AI received praised from some analysts, such as Ryan Fedasiuk, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank. It features a "common-sense, light-touch framework designed to get the federal government's gears in motion," Fedasiuk said in a social-media post on Tuesday.

In a note, Wedbush analysts led by Dan Ives said the order is positive for the AI industry, as it's "ruling out mandatory licensing" and having the Trump administration "acting as a partner rather than regulator."

The AI industry has been a major driver of the U.S. stock market's recent gains. One exchange-traded fund holding AI-linked stocks, the Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF AIQ, has surged 71% over the past 12 months. The ETF was up 0.4% on Tuesday in recent trading.

-Victor Reklaitis

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06-02-26 1517ET