Executive order closer to proper vision for US, AI and security
Executive order closer to proper vision for US, AI and security
Publish Date: 2026-06-04 13:25:00
Source Domain: www.stripes.com
Vying to control the future of artificial intelligence, China is pushing the application of AI while the U.S. focuses on developing cutting-edge models. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patrick McSpadden is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and former intelligence officer with more than 21 years of service, including multiple operational deployments. He writes on defense policy, military technology and national security. The views expressed are his own and do not reflect the official position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government.
President Donald Trump’s new executive order on artificial intelligence is a solid step in the right direction.
The order directs the Pentagon and other federal agencies to move quickly on cybersecurity, evaluating advanced AI systems, and working more closely with industry. The final version is also more practical than the leaked draft. It backs away from heavier government involvement and avoids creating what could have become a de facto licensing system for AI development.
That matters. America needs safeguards for powerful AI systems. It does not need a system that makes it harder for startups and smaller companies to compete while giving the largest technology firms an even bigger advantage.
But the executive order leaves out one issue that may ultimately matter more than any AI model itself: infrastructure.
America is still talking about artificial intelligence like it is mostly a software race. China is treating it like a national power race.
That difference matters more than most people realize.
The future of AI will not simply depend on who builds the smartest tools. It will depend on who can power them, protect them, and keep them running when it…
