A16z shared our thoughts with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy ( OSTP ) regarding how the US can put together a competitiveness strategy that will enable it to continue to lead the field in developing AI. Little Tech has a significant role to play in bolstering America’s ability to compete in AI in the future, just as it has historically been a driving force behind American technological advancement. As part of the OSTP’s , which gathers policy ideas to inform and create a new AI Action Plan, we shared our opinions.
AI has the potential to positively alter the earth and people’s life. AI-powered services may aid in the development of novel medicines and treatments to improve patient outcomes, improve how students learn in classrooms and at home, and improve transport infrastructure, and the list goes on. Businesses are the avant-garde of American modern authority, as we’ve seen throughout history from Edison and Ford to Hughes and Lockheed. This development cycle for AI is the same. Consider, for example, that more than 5, 000 brand-new AI startups in the US were funded between 2013 and 2023. And all of the most recent, cutting-edge AI products came from businesses, not from big tech companies.
Little Tech is supported by a16z securely. US politicians must develop a regulatory framework that makes it possible for Little Tech to contend with larger businesses with more resources and bigger hands. If not, we run the risk of slowdown and giving over to other nations, especially China, our position of authority. To help the OSTP develop an AI policy agenda grounded in American profitability, we proposed three coverage pillars.
1. Adopt a policy platform that places a premium on British competition, including establishing the federal government’s leadership in regulating the nation’s AI design market.
American companies have always been a key factor in British profitability, and we believe they will have a significant impact on how well America will fare in terms of AI. The US AI Action Plan does encourage Little Tech’s ability to compete on a level playing field with more financially stable former platforms.
Artificial models are essential to America’s national security, financial profitability, its political goals, and the welfare of our country as a whole. The federal government, not individual states, should take the lead in creating and regulating a national AI market because the development market is essentially a national one with potential significant effects on commerce, national security, and international relations. This strategy will give entrepreneurs more certainty when creating goods that may appeal to consumers throughout the nation. Declares, by regulating bad behavior within their borders, also have a significant role to play in AI leadership.
As the recent development of DeepSeek R1 demonstrated, ignoring competition does stifle British AI development and let other countries catch up. The most significant AI technology of the future will be created in the United States or by a foreign adversary like China as a result of our current coverage choices. The United States must acknowledge that entrepreneurship is the foundation of AI leadership in order to outperform other nations and get the Artificial race. This gives Little Tech a chance to create, compete, and prosper.
2. Regulate damages, no create AI models.
The United States ‘ approach to regulating technology has been based on how it is used for years, not how it’s made. For example, no law imposes instructions on how to create a computer. However, it is against the law to harm another person by using that machine.
Instead of requiring developers to comply with stringent regulatory requirements based on theoretical fear, lawmakers should use the same strategy for AI: to enforce existing laws to prohibit harms while identifying any gaps that does exist and punish negative actors who break the law. There are no AI-related exceptions in the rules. Using AI is not a protection when someone is accused of breaking the law.
Little Tech will be unable to compete with larger platforms by regulating concept development by imposing costly compliance requirements. Some startups may have little legitimate teams, but others may not have any attorneys on staff. Navigating complicated legal frameworks or monitoring needs is not just difficult for Little Tech; it also poses a competitive risk.
Interestingly, the main reason why some lawmakers debate the best way to manage AI is that regulation of design development does not directly protect consumers. Policymakers should instead concentrate on enforcing a number of laws already in place that deal with consumer protection, civil rights, competitive, fraud, and false trade practices, and filling in gaps as required. Additionally, we ask the administration to understand that the current copyright law protects designers ‘ ability to coach models. It is crucial to ensure American profitability in AI to get this right.
3. Invest in AI skills and network
The United States should build a National AI Competitiveness Institute to give businesses and researchers access to the network resources they need, including determine, data, and analysis tools, to make it simpler for them to create and study AI models. Similar to how things were done in earlier centuries of technology, such as when the federal government established the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s National Center for Supercomputing Applications, which led to the creation of the first web browser. The United States should also invest in workforce development initiatives to improve skills pipelines at the same time. This might involve efforts to support new jobs created for the AI market, such as AI labelers, such as public-private initiatives that the Chinese government has implemented, giving Chinese AI firms a competitive edge today. Additionally, it is crucial that the US continues to support open-source models that reduce entry barriers and provide accountability.
The huge potential of AI to advance community, industry, and government is being taken seriously by US policymakers, which is encouraging. We have no doubt that Little Tech will enable them to engage in order to improve our economic and national security interests. We think that these tips make the best possible course of action for a National AI Action Plan to ensure that generations of the United States are still the nation’s AI leaders.
Read our entire surrender to the OSTP for more information.