Marc Andreessen criticized the Biden administration’s AI regulations, fearing that they would limit innovation. He learned that the government planned to restrict AI development to a few large companies. This led him to endorse Donald Trump, who he believes supports less government control over tech.
Marc Andreessen is the co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, an influential figure especially when it comes to the future of artificial intelligence (AI). Recently, he exposed his deep concerns over the Biden administration’s plan to regulate and control AI technology, after attending a series of meetings with government officials in May 2023.
Andreessen criticizes Biden’s AI regulations
Andreessen described the experience as “horrifying,” and it had a significant impact on his decision to endorse Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
In the meeting, Andreessen learned that government officials were planning to take strong control over the AI sector, limiting its development and access to a few large companies that cooperate closely with the government. According to Andreessen, the officials clearly stated that AI startups would not be allowed to exist.
He recalled the statement, “Don’t fund AI startups. That’s not something that we’re going to allow to happen.” The government’s plan was to establish a situation where only two or three major companies, tightly controlled and “wrapped in a government cocoon,” would be allowed to develop AI technology.
These companies would receive government protection from competition and be fully directed by the administration on how to move forward with AI development.
Government plans to limit AI Innovation
What alarmed him was that the government would go even further by restricting access to the fundamental technology that powers AI.
He explained that government officials suggested they could follow a similar path to the Cold War, where certain scientific areas, including physics, were classified and kept secret from the public and the research community.
Andreessen was shocked when the officials suggested that AI could also be “classified” in a way that would limit or even prevent open research and development.
This discussion raised serious concerns for Andreessen, especially since he had investments in AI startups. His firm has funded several cutting-edge AI companies, including Elon Musk’s xAI, Mistral AI, and Character.AI.
The idea of controlling AI development would threaten his business interests and the tech innovation ecosystem. For Andreessen, this wasn’t just about his personal investments it was about the future of AI innovation in the United States.
The Biden administration has taken an approach to AI, like issuing an executive order in October 2023 asking companies to voluntarily follow safety and transparency guidelines. The executive order called for companies to share safety test results with the government and for Congress to review data privacy practices. However, Andreessen claims that the government’s actual plan is much more controlling and stricter.
He believes their anti-capitalist stance threatens innovation and the spirit of American business. His view is that the government’s approach to AI reflects a shift towards a more controlled economy.
After the meetings, Andreessen decided to support Trump, who he saw as a leader promoting innovation. Trump’s approach of reducing government control over business and encouraging private companies in tech was the opposite of the Biden administration’s policies.
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