Vice President JD Vance’s remarks at the AI Action Summit weren’t just another policy speech—they were a declaration of intent. The Trump administration is staking out a coherent vision: AI as a pillar of economic growth, national security, and American technological dominance. This approach recognizes that AI leadership isn’t just about research and development; it’s about ensuring that the United States remains the world’s center of gravity for the most powerful and transformative technology of our time. 

This vision is the right one, and it stands in stark contrast to the regulatory overreach we’ve seen in Europe. The EU’s approach to AI regulation—rooted in the same mindset that produced monstrosities like the EU’s AI Act, the Digital Services Act, and the General Data Protection Regulation—risks stifling innovation and entrenching bureaucratic oversight. During the Biden administration, European regulators tightened their grip on AI, and Washington too often stood by, reluctant to push back. That approach must end. American policymakers should make clear that while AI governance is necessary, it must not come at the cost of our innovation, economic dynamism, or strategic advantage. 

The stakes couldn’t be higher. AI is not just another technological breakthrough; it is a general-purpose capability that will reshape industries, economies, and national power structures. The administration’s commitment to ensuring frontier AI is developed in the United States—leveraging our advantages in semiconductors, advanced algorithms, and computing power—should be welcomed. The alternative is allowing adversarial nations to set the pace of AI development, or ceding leadership to global regulatory bodies that do not share our economic or security priorities. 

Yet, even as the administration rightly champions a deregulatory approach, it must also ensure that AI serves the broader American workforce. The idea that AI will enhance productivity rather than replace workers is an optimistic and politically attractive argument. But optimism alone won’t shape market realities. Policymakers should focus on reducing barriers to innovation, fostering a competitive free-market environment, and encouraging private-sector investment in workforce development to ensure Americans can seize AI-driven economic opportunities. 

Importantly, Vice President Vance’s skepticism of Big Tech is well documented, and his push to encourage smaller AI firms is a commendable effort to diversify the AI landscape. However, dismantling the very companies that are advancing AI’s frontiers and financing our domestic AI infrastructure development would be the surest way to give up our technological edge. The challenge is striking the right balance—ensuring a competitive AI ecosystem without undermining the firms that provide the resources, talent, and computational power essential for maintaining America’s leadership in the field. A policy that incentivizes competition while leveraging the strength of existing tech giants is the most pragmatic way forward. 

Where does this leave our allies? America’s leadership in AI doesn’t mean we go it alone. Instead, we must forge a new consensus—one in which the US leads, and our allies benefit. That means working with like-minded nations to create a regulatory environment that fosters, rather than restricts, innovation. It means ensuring that AI export controls target adversarial threats without unnecessarily stifling cooperation with trusted partners. And it means pushing back against regulatory frameworks, particularly from Brussels, that would impose burdens on American firms while providing little strategic benefit. 

For too long, Washington has been hesitant to challenge European regulatory overreach in the tech sector. That must change. The AI era is not one in which the US can afford to be reactive. We must be clear-eyed about the economic and security risks of an overly cautious, bureaucratic approach to AI governance. The administration’s agenda offers a course correction—one that prioritizes American innovation, strengthens our competitive edge, and ensures that AI remains a force for growth and strategic advantage. It’s time for the United States to lead, not just for our own sake, but for the future of the free world’s technological leadership.