The “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), which was previously led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is reportedly using artificial intelligence (AI) to create a “delete list” of federal regulations. This initiative aims to cut 50% of regulations by the first anniversary of US President Donald Trump’s second inauguration. According to internal documents obtained by The Washington Post, the “Doge AI Deregulation Decision Tool” will analysee 200,000 government regulations and will then select those deemed no longer required by law. Doge, which was overseen by Musk until May, claims that 100,000 of these regulations can be eliminated after incorporating staff feedback.
How DOGE is planning to reduce federal regulations using its AI tool
In a PowerPoint presentation shared by the Washington Post, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reportedly used the AI tool to make “decisions on 1,083 regulatory sections,” while the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau relied on it to write “100% of deregulations.”The Post report also included interviews of three HUD employees who said AI had been “recently used to review hundreds, if not more than 1,000, lines of regulations.”During his 2024 campaign, Trump said that government regulations were “driving up the cost of goods” and promised to pursue the “most aggressive regulatory reduction” ever. He frequently opposed policies targeting the climate crisis and has even instructed the heads of all government agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of regulations in co-ordination with DOGE.
What the White House said about DOGE’s AI tool deleting federal regulations
When asked about the use of AI in deregulation, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said to Washington Pos that “all options are being explored” to fulfill Trump’s deregulation promises. He added that “no single plan has been approved or green-lit” and emphasised that the work is “in its early stages and is being conducted in a creative way in consultation with the White House”.“The Doge experts creating these plans are the best and brightest in the business and are embarking on a never-before-attempted transformation of government systems and operations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness,” Fields noted.
