According to Gizmodo, the European Commission announced on Wednesday it wants to “simplify” both its landmark AI Act of 2024 and the GDPR privacy law that reshaped the internet since 2018. The proposed changes would give tech companies more freedom to use anonymized user data for AI training and delay enforcement of “high-risk” AI rules beyond the August 2026 deadline. Meanwhile in the US, Republicans are pushing for a moratorium on state AI laws, with President Trump supporting a “one Federal Standard” approach in a Truth Social post on Tuesday night. The White House is also reportedly preparing an executive order creating an “AI Litigation Task Force” that could sue states over AI regulations, potentially to be signed as soon as Friday. Additionally, Senator Kyrsten Sinema is co-chairing a new AI Infrastructure Coalition launching Wednesday evening with members including Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Andreessen Horowitz.
EU Regulation Shift
Here’s the thing about the EU’s sudden pivot: it’s a complete reversal from their previous stance as the world’s tech regulator. The GDPR was once the gold standard for privacy, forcing companies worldwide to adopt stricter data practices. Now they’re talking about slashing those same protections to “fuel AI with high-quality data.” The cookie law changes are interesting too – basically they want to reduce those annoying pop-ups by letting browsers save preferences, which honestly should have happened years ago. But the real story is the AI Act delay. High-risk AI systems covering biometrics, job applications, and border control were supposed to face stricter rules by 2026, but now they want to push that back indefinitely until “standards are in place.” That’s regulatory uncertainty dressed up as simplification.
US Political Landscape
Meanwhile in the States, we’re seeing a coordinated push from multiple angles. Trump’s Truth Social post about needing “one Federal Standard” is classic preemption strategy – prevent states from creating their own rules. The executive order approach is particularly aggressive though. An AI Litigation Task Force that sues states? That’s essentially weaponizing the federal government against local regulators. And the timing isn’t coincidental – this is happening while Congress considers that moratorium in the National Defense Authorization Act. Remember that similar attempts failed before over child safety concerns, so the administration seems to be creating backup plans. It’s a full-court press to clear regulatory hurdles for AI companies.
Transatlantic Coordination
What’s fascinating here is how openly this is becoming a transatlantic issue. Former EU commissioner Thierry Breton basically called it out in his Guardian op-ed, saying “No one is fooled over the transatlantic origin of these attempts.” Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has been vocal about working with Trump to “push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies.” So we’re not just talking about domestic policy anymore – this is becoming a coordinated international effort to create favorable conditions for Big Tech’s AI ambitions. The EU Commission says this is about competitiveness, but critics see it as caving to American pressure. Either way, the regulatory landscape is shifting dramatically on both sides of the Atlantic.
What This Means
Basically, we’re witnessing a fundamental rethinking of tech regulation globally. The EU, which built its reputation on being the world’s privacy cop, is now loosening rules to compete in AI. The US administration is using both legislative and executive power to clear the field. And major tech companies are organizing through groups like the AI Infrastructure Coalition to maintain this momentum. The big question is whether this deregulatory wave will actually spur innovation or just create bigger risks. High-risk AI systems in border control and job applications without proper safeguards? Anonymized data training that might not be so anonymous after all? These aren’t small concerns. But for now, the political winds are blowing strongly in favor of removing barriers – and AI companies are the clear winners.
