What It Means for Innovation, Infrastructure, and Global Leadership

On July 23, 2025, the U.S. government unveiled Winning the AI Race: The U.S. AI Action Plan, a sweeping blueprint to position the United States as the undisputed global leader in artificial intelligence.

At The 5-Star Approach, we review the high-level points of this legislation and then offer our strategic recommendations for how federal agencies can implement it most effectively, advancing U.S. AI leadership while safeguarding national security, economic stability, and ethical alignment.

What this legislation does

• Eliminates regulatory barriers through the removal of “onerous Federal regulations” and seeks collaboration with the private sector to shape future policy.

• Incorporates procurement policy emphasizing that federal contracts should favor large-language-model providers whose AI systems are “objective” and free from ideological bias.

Building American AI Infrastructure

• Fast-tracks permitting for data centers, chip fabrication plants, and energy systems to support AI innovation acceleration.

• Advances initiatives that stimulate talent development, including training programs for high-demand trades such as electricians and HVAC technicians.

Leading International Diplomacy and Security

• Promotes exporting “full-stack AI packages”, encompassing hardware, models, software, and standards, to allied nations.

• Aligns AI export controls to counter adversarial influence and secure competitive technological advantage.

Support with Evidence: Voices and Data

• White House Experts Applaud

  Stakeholders such as the Center for Data Innovation and the Consumer Technology Association praised the Plan for decisiveness and infrastructural focus, calling it a transformational strategy that positions the U.S. to “win the global AI race”.

• Tech Industry Momentum

  AWS committed $1 billion in cloud credits to the U.S. government through 2028, part of the broader push to modernize infrastructure in alignment with the Plan’s goals.

  AI companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and others are offering highly discounted (~$1) access to their tools for federal agencies, aligning public-sector adoption with the Plan’s adoption goals.

• Critics Sound Alarms

  Some voices, like Public Citizen, warn that the Plan’s downplaying of safeguard considerations and environmental reviews could pose risks to ethical and sustainable AI development.

The 5-Star Approach Perspective: Four Additional Imperatives

1. The Geopolitical Stakes Are Real 

   We are deeply concerned about the threat of global AI dominance by nations not aligned with democracy and freedom. If such nations develop and deploy artificial superintelligence in their militaries and economies ahead of us, the U.S. may never catch up.

2. Red Tape: Cut, But Not Blindly 

   While we are bullish on AI advancement, sweeping deregulation without guardrails is risky. Some “cautionary red tape” is necessary to prevent scenarios where our own AI, or superior foreign AI, could be weaponized against our infrastructure, economy, or national security.

3. Closing the AI Adoption Gap 

   AI capability is advancing faster than organizational adoption. This legislation could unlock a powerful lever, the federal government, and encourage other governments and industries to close this gap before a destabilizing “AI adoption bubble” bursts.

4. National Debt Demands Efficiency 

   The U.S., while not the worst globally in debt-to-GDP ratio, carries a crushing national debt. AI already available today could dramatically reduce costs and improve efficiency across federal operations, helping to relieve budgetary pressure.

Our Recommendation to Federal Agencies

The current administration’s approach is bold, but speed without alignment can be as dangerous as stagnation. We urge federal leaders to apply personal influence toward safety and alignment strategies, avoiding two extremes:

• The “no” that paralyzes U.S. competitiveness in the race to artificial superintelligence.

• The unqualified “yes” that accelerates innovation without protecting national security.

Instead, we advocate for a “yes and” approach:

Yes, advance AI leadership. 

And, build in the safety, alignment, and resilience needed to defend our democracy and maintain long-term global advantage.