The Business Software Alliance (BSA) recently released its US AI Adoption Agenda, which outlines ideas for advancing US competitiveness through policies that help industries harness and scale artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. The White House’s AI Action Plan, which the Trump Administration released last month, also identifies important steps necessary to maintain US leadership on AI.
Both agendas align on key themes and emphasize similar priorities that are essential to win the global AI race — talent, infrastructure and data, and governance policies that will enable adoption. This shared approach builds on strategies BSA previously highlighted, including during the White House’s development of the AI Action Plan.
Specific BSA and White House proposals include:
| Policy Focus | BSA AI Adoption Agenda | White House AI Action Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity | Advocates for risk-based cybersecurity policies that support AI for cyber defense and reinforce existing standards and practices. Stresses replacing outdated IT systems. | Emphasizes the importance of enhancing cybersecurity and promotes threat-sharing. |
| Infrastructure & Data | Calls for investment in AI-enabling infrastructure, such as energy and connectivity, the removal of restrictions that impede cloud adoption and cross-border data flows, increased public access to nonsensitive government data, and interoperability. | Supports the construction of compute infrastructure, proposes a blueprint for stabilizing and optimizing energy resources, expands the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), and promotes government data-sharing. |
| International Coordination | Calls for the removal of digital trade barriers and restrictions on cross-border data flows. Encourages international alignment on AI policy frameworks. | Highlights the importance of working with allies on standards, exports, and AI governance in international bodies. |
| Governance & Trust | Recommends national privacy and cybersecurity frameworks, risk-based AI governance, and global policy harmonization. | Promotes interagency alignment and emphasizes US leadership in global governance and standards development. |
| Open Government Data & Digitization | Advocates for reviewing agency implementation of the OPEN Government Data Act and improving Federal data usability for AI. | Supports Federal agency data readiness and calls for the improved use of government-held data through the NAIRR and related initiatives. |
| Procurement Modernization | Urges streamlined procurement for commercial AI tools, reduced regulatory barriers, and support for multi-cloud government environments. | Launches shared AI services, model contract language, and reforms to accelerate AI tool acquisition. |
| Research & Development | Encourages pre-standardization research through the National Institute of Standards and Technology and support for public-private partnerships, including expanding NAIRR. | Commits to boosting funding for AI research and development and advancing public-private research partnerships. |
| Workforce & Talent | Proposes a national AI education framework, training programs, modern labor data tracking, expanded tech hubs, and Federal educational grants for AI skilling. | Prioritizes efforts to increase AI skills development and literacy through education and workforce training that includes funding for retraining, clarifying eligibility for educational tax incentives related to AI training, and studying AI’s impact on the labor market. |
Each of these steps — recognized by both BSA’s AI Adoption Agenda and the White House’s AI Action Plan — is key to unleashing AI’s full potential and continuing US leadership. Importantly, the Administration’s promotion of AI exports could support these efforts, though it should ensure a more calibrated approach on export controls. Although narrowly tailored export controls can advance targeted national security interests, it is imperative that they do not undermine the international competitiveness of US businesses or impede global AI adoption.
Notably, BSA’s AI Adoption Agenda also reiterates our longstanding call for both Federal AI law and strong federal privacy legislation to establish national standards that promote the responsible collection and use of data. Federal AI and privacy laws would also provide clear and feasible responsibilities for businesses, consistent protections for consumers, and flexibility for companies to operationalize and innovate.
These priorities comprise essential steps for fully realizing the benefits of AI. Now, with this roadmap in hand, America must thoughtfully and swiftly execute these action items to shape the future of AI — and win the global race.
