White House U-turn: Trump maintains AI policies and announces Stargate project

An unexpected move in the artificial intelligence landscape has taken place in the past 24 hours in the United States. In a rare display of political continuity, Donald Trump has signaled that he will maintain a significant portion of the AI policies implemented by Biden, especially when it comes to the use of federal lands for data centers.

The decision was accompanied by a new executive order signed on January 23, 2025, which sets out a vision to maintain and expand American leadership in AI. To that end, Trump appointed David Sacks as the White House’s new “AI czar.”

The most impactful move, however, was the announcement of the Stargate project, a potential $1.5 billion investment in AI infrastructure. According to the Financial Times, this project will serve OpenAI exclusively, signaling a significant concentration of technological power.

But it’s not all continuity. Trump revoked key parts of Biden’s previous executive order, particularly those focused on regulation and equity. The new order promises to develop AI systems “free from ideological bias” and reduce barriers to innovation.

In parallel with these policy changes, OpenAI announced its first AI agent called “Operator,” an experimental tool that promises to automate tasks through interactions with web interfaces.

The World Economic Forum also weighed in, launching a new blueprint for a smart economy, emphasizing the importance of democratizing AI and regional collaboration.

Analysis and Implications

In my 25+ years of following the tech market, I’ve rarely seen a more defining moment than this one. Trump’s partial continuation of Biden’s policies demonstrates how AI transcends traditional partisan divides—something I’ve seen time and time again in my experience with public policy on startups and innovation.

The Stargate project in particular deserves special attention. In my experience raising capital, US$1.5 billion is an unprecedented amount. To put this into context, this is equivalent to approximately 25 times the market value of the largest Brazilian technology company.

The exclusivity of the project to OpenAI raises fundamental questions about the concentration of power in the AI market. As someone who has worked extensively in innovation ecosystems, I see significant risks in this concentration, especially for startups and smaller companies that may be left out of this development.

What to Expect

The scenario unfolding is one of an accelerated race for dominance in AI, with significant geopolitical implications. The reduction of regulations under Trump may accelerate innovation, but it may also increase risks. The challenge will be to balance speed of development with responsible use of technology.

For entrepreneurs and startups, this moment demands extra attention. It will be essential to find specific niches and opportunities, since competing directly with the big players will become even more challenging.