In the coming years, the Trump administration may use the formation of trade barriers, technological barriers, and the implementation of the America First strategy as very important focal points.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump announced his victory in the presidential election in the early hours of the morning. From Trump's previous public statements, it is evident that he has a keen interest in artificial intelligence and has pledged to increase investment in the field. During his previous term, Trump aimed to promote the United States' leading position in artificial intelligence to address competition from overseas. Some analysts believe that Trump, upon being elected as the President of the United States this time, will continue to advance and strengthen the country's advantages in artificial intelligence.

From previous public statements, it appears that Trump is quite concerned about the energy consumption issues related to artificial intelligence. In a live conversation with Musk earlier this year, Trump expressed his worries about the large amount of electricity used by AI data centers. Trump said it shocked him, "The energy required for artificial intelligence is twice that of our current energy. You will need a massive amount of electricity, almost twice what we currently produce for the entire country, if you can believe it."

The attention from the outside world also includes the content related to artificial intelligence mentioned in the Republican Party Platform released by the Republican Party of the United States. The platform proposes, "We will repeal Biden's executive orders that hinder AI innovation." The relevant executive order refers to the "Executive Order on the Safe, Reliable, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence" signed and promulgated by President Biden of the United States last year. This executive order requires actions from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, and other departments to protect Americans from potential risks posed by AI systems, and mandates that U.S. companies must notify the federal government when developing foundational models that pose significant risks to national security, national economic security, and other aspects, and mentions assisting small companies in commercializing their innovations.

After Trump took office, the repeal of the above executive order would mean the removal of corresponding restrictions on American providers selling products to foreigners, and the lifting of other requirements related to domestic regulation in the United States. This could indicate a shift in the U.S. stance on artificial intelligence regulation. An artificial intelligence legal researcher told reporters that the previous U.S. regulatory approach to AI had leaned towards pragmatism, not the European practice of preemptively categorizing AI risks, but rather a dynamic regulatory scheme.

Wu Shenkuo, doctoral supervisor at the Law School of Beijing Normal University and deputy director of the Research Center of the China Internet Association, told the First Financial Daily that there are various impacts from Trump's mention of repealing Biden's executive orders. From the perspective of promoting U.S. development and capital development, there will be a series of deregulatory policies, while also strengthening support for the U.S. domestic industry. Zhang Yi from iiMedia Research also told the First Financial Daily that the impact of Trump's election on the industry is reflected in the deregulation trend. In addition to the possible repeal of executive orders signed by Biden, Zhang also mentioned that Trump's allies are drafting the "Manhattan Project," aiming to reduce regulatory procedures, accelerate capital infusion, and promote industrialization and application.

However, some legal professionals believe that there will likely be adjustments to U.S. policies under Trump's administration, but radical changes are unlikely. On one hand, although Trump demonstrated a deregulatory inclination during his first term, significant changes in technology and social realities have occurred, particularly the advent of certain events, which have deepened public awareness and perception of risks. On the other hand, many campaign platforms prioritize mobilizing voter sentiment as their primary goal, and some of the content may not accurately translate into actual policies. Some related statements remain rather vague.

From the actions of the Trump administration during its previous term, it is evident that Trump has placed significant importance on maintaining the United States' role as a leader in artificial intelligence. In a certain year, Trump signed an executive order to launch the "American AI Initiative," aimed at mobilizing more federal funds and resources for AI research and development at the national strategic level, in response to challenges from "strategic competitors and foreign adversaries." In terms of research and development, the "American AI Initiative" emphasized making artificial intelligence technology a key focus of foundational R&D investments. In terms of resource allocation, it mentioned that federal government data, algorithms, and computing resources would be more accessible to AI researchers and businesses in the United States.

This year, Trump has also signaled his intention to strengthen the United States' dominant position in artificial intelligence. In a recent month, it was reported that Trump's allies are drafting a comprehensive executive order on artificial intelligence, which would initiate a series of "Manhattan Projects." This suggests that the Trump administration may implement AI policies that favor Silicon Valley investors and companies. It is understood that the framework will also establish "industry-led" institutions to evaluate models and ensure systems are protected from foreign adversaries, including a section titled "Making America the First in the Field."

Earlier this year, Trump also pledged in a speech to ensure America's leading position in cutting-edge technologies and to increase investment in areas such as drones, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Zhang Yi mentioned that the impact of the Trump administration on the artificial intelligence industry also lies in the possibility that the Trump administration may take numerous actions to ensure American dominance and set up barriers for this purpose, reducing the likelihood of the global industry leveraging the United States. Additionally, Trump's trade war might extend to this field, forming new barriers in technology protection, industrialization, and the value of the industrial chain.

In the field of international cooperation, exchange, and sharing in artificial intelligence, based on Trump's recent and past actions, it is highly likely that the United States will suppress and inhibit countries outside of itself. Zhang Yi believes that, influenced by this, and considering China's actual conditions, Chinese enterprises may need to prepare for this possibility. Whether in terms of research and development, investment, supply chain, or the layout of downstream application products, they should make some early arrangements to have sufficient room for response.

Zhang Yi predicts that over the next four years, the Trump administration may place significant emphasis on promoting the formation of trade barriers, technological barriers, and implementing the America First strategy, as the United States currently leads in this direction and it is also the most forward-looking area in the global industrial revolution over the next few years, being the most highly anticipated field.

Wu Shenkuo also mentioned that it can be foreseen that the Trump administration will continue to maintain a strict stance on the development of China's artificial intelligence industry and the research and development of artificial intelligence technology. He judged that Trump's pressure on China's industries would further intensify, including promoting further contraction in the global industrial chain and supply chain, which would include further tightening of open source. "This major direction will not be reversed, and it may further integrate multiple measures, including trade and economic sanctions, for further enhancement." Wu Shenkuo stated that for the development of China's industries, the Trump administration's approach cannot be seen as a relaxation or liberalization.

Notably, after Trump took office, Tesla's Musk could potentially exert greater influence in the field of artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, Trump stated that if he won the U.S. presidential election, Musk might not be able to work long-term in his administration but could serve as an advisor, as Musk has some excellent ideas, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence. Trump subsequently mentioned that if he won the presidential election, he would appoint Musk to manage a "government efficiency committee." Currently, Musk's AI company is competing, having open-sourced a large model earlier this year and recently seeking a new round of financing. Musk's social platform previously drew scrutiny from European regulators for collecting training data, subsequently agreeing to stop collecting data from EU users.