EO 13859 (American AI Initiative)
Executive Order 13859 — Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence
United States · Exec. Order No. 13859, 84 Fed. Reg. 3967 (Feb. 14, 2019)
- Status
- Repealed / replaced
- Took effect
- February 11, 2019
- Applies to
- All federal executive-branch agencies (was)
- Enforced by
- Office of Science and Technology Policy + OMB (coordination)
President Trump's February 2019 executive order launched the 'American AI Initiative' — the first federal whole-of-government AI strategy. It directed federal agencies to prioritize AI R&D investment, open government data for AI training, set technical standards (via NIST), and develop the AI workforce. The framework was preserved but reorganized under EO 13960 (2020) and EO 14110 (2023), then carried over into EO 14179 (2025).
Who is protected: Federal AI ecosystem participants; public via downstream NIST/OMB rules
Legal detail
EO 13859 (Feb. 11, 2019), 84 Fed. Reg. 3967 — established the American AI Initiative; directed federal agencies under OMB/OSTP coordination to (1) prioritize AI R&D spending, (2) release federal data, models, and computing resources to AI researchers, (3) task NIST with developing AI technical standards (which became NIST AI RMF 1.0), and (4) develop AI workforce competencies (precursor to AI in Government Act and OPM occupational series). Largely superseded by subsequent orders but never formally revoked — many derivative programs (NIST AI RMF, federal AI use case inventories) trace directly to this order.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | United States |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Enacted | February 11, 2019 |
| Citation | Exec. Order No. 13859, 84 Fed. Reg. 3967 (Feb. 14, 2019) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | government use of AI · AI disclosure and transparency |
| Statute | EO 13859 — Federal Register |
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Related government use of AI rules elsewhere
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- Arkansas public entity AI/ADS policy mandate (Act 848, 2025) · In effect
- Inver Grove Heights MN data center moratorium amended under lawsuit (2026) · In effect
- San Marcos citywide data center ban (Land Use Matrix amendment) · In effect
- Washington County (MD) 12-month data center moratorium · In effect
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