Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence

The Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence (Executive Order 14110) establishes a comprehensive federal framework for promoting innovation in AI while protecting national security, privacy, and civil rights. It directs federal agencies to ensure that AI systems are developed and deployed in a manner that is “safe, secure, and trustworthy.” The Order requires developers of powerful AI models to share safety test results with the government under the Defense Production Act and mandates the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to set standards for “AI safety, security, and testing.” It further instructs the Department of Commerce to develop guidance for content authentication and watermarking, and calls for measures that prevent algorithmic discrimination in federal programmes. As the first binding executive directive on AI, the Order operationalises principles from the 2022 Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, establishing institutional mechanisms for risk assessment, accountability, and inter-agency coordination. It represents a milestone in U.S. federal AI governance, linking ethical oversight with security and innovation policy.