“The President’s announced AI Action plan is an important step forward in ensuring the United States remains the global leader in AI development,” said Morgan Reed, president of ACT | The App Association. “The plan’s emphasis on supporting scientific AI research, prioritizing a secure-by-design approach, and investing in the workforce will benefit small app developers and emerging technology companies that are creating and using AI tools today to compete.”
The App Association supports many of the priorities in the AI Action Plan, which align with their AI principles and members’ real-world needs:
R&D and Scientific Leadership: The plan’s calls to “build world-class scientific datasets” and “advance the science of AI” reflect their long-standing support for robust, transparent, and well-funded AI research infrastructure.
Secure by Design: The endorsement of secure-by-design approaches and AI assurance aligns with their principle of Thoughtful Design. Building in safety and security from the start is essential to protecting users and maintaining trust in emerging technologies.
Workforce and Education: The emphasis on AI literacy, retraining, and technical education reflects their Education principle. A worker-first AI agenda is crucial to ensure the benefits of AI are widely shared and not concentrated in the hands of a privileged few.
International Access and Fair Competition: While the plan highlights efforts to strengthen U.S. leadership abroad, more work is needed to ensure American small tech companies can fairly access and compete in global AI markets. They urge the administration to keep small tech at the center of U.S. international AI policy.
Governance Proportional to Harm: The plan also emphasizes removing red tape, which should be paired with clear commitments to scalable AI oversight. Governance should match the level of harm presented by the intended and actual uses of AI systems—especially in high-risk domains.