The White House has issued a new executive order aimed at promoting AI innovation and security.
President Trump's order directs federal agencies to strengthen cyber defense of government systems within 30 days and expand AI-powered protection tools. The Department of Defense, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Treasury Department are tasked with setting up a clearinghouse for software vulnerabilities in partnership with the AI industry.
The order also creates a voluntary framework for so-called "covered frontier models." Under this framework, AI developers can submit their models to the government for safety testing before release. The order explicitly rules out any mandatory approval process. At the same time, it calls for ramping up criminal prosecution of AI misuse in cyber attacks and faster hiring of cybersecurity specialists.
The decision was likely shaped in part by the debate kicked off by Claude Mythos over the cybersecurity risks of AI. Google DeepMind, Microsoft, and xAI had already agreed with the US Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) to submit new AI models for review ahead of release. OpenAI and Anthropic entered a similar agreement back in 2024.
