The DSR Network Siliconsciousness: What the Trump Administration Gets Right about AI Policy
Apr 14, 2025
Doug Calidas, Senior VP of Government Affairs for Americans for Responsible Innovation and an AI policy expert, joins David Rothkopf to discuss the Trump administration's strengths in AI policy. They explore how U.S. AI strategy is shaped by global competition, particularly with China. The conversation touches on the balance of tariffs and industrial policies, including semiconductor manufacturing. Calidas emphasizes the importance of bipartisan collaboration in addressing environmental concerns and adapting immigration policies in the age of AI.
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Tariffs Aim to Re-industrialize America
- Trump's administration employs tariffs mainly to re-industrialize America and protect domestic industries.
- These tariffs have complex implications on geopolitics, economic policies, and industrial outcomes.
Semiconductors Central to Strategy
- Semiconductors, especially Nvidia chips, are central to U.S. industrial strategy and technological leadership.
- Supply chain issues from COVID exposed vulnerabilities, pushing a bipartisan focus on reshoring chip production.
Potential Shift to Subsidies Program
- Trump initially resists cash subsidies like those in the CHIPS Act but may adopt them to gain bipartisan support later.
- Political incentives exist for him to promote subsidies to encourage advanced manufacturing investment in the U.S.