New AI Executive Orders, Public Data Enhancing Gen AI Systems, AI at Davos, and DeepSeek’s Rise

AI 101

The Department of Commerce has released new recommendations on how to make public data more accessible to generative AI systems, including data from federal bureaus like NOAA, Census, and BEA.

The recommendations, Commerce writes, will help generative AI systems incorporate public data from government sources and ensure that the programs distribute correct, up-to-date information – like population numbers – to its users.

At its best, generative AI gives anyone the tools to answer questions with precise, in-depth information — with no need for specialized expertise. As these systems grow more sophisticated, it’s imperative that information sources grow with it.

For that reason, I think the guidelines could be useful for both public and private data stewards.?

You can read more about the project at the Department of Commerce’s website.

A helpful repository of new executive orders

As the federal policy landscape quickly evolves, it’s important for business leaders to keep up with new Executive Orders issued, including the most recent directive on AI.?

A tool I’ve found incredibly useful is this web tracker created by DLA Piper, which documents all of the recent Executive Orders in one place.? It’s an exciting time for AI technologies and the space continues to be fast-moving, so resources like this are truly valuable.?

The tracker also maintains links to the White House’s website if you’re curious to read more about a particular directive or policy measure.?

As the new Administration takes action on key issues that touch our region’s innovation ecosystem — including frontier technologies, AI, and cybersecurity — we’ll be following closely and focused on the impacts and potential benefits to our technology companies, universities, and entrepreneurs.?

The DeepSeek moment?

DeepSeek, the Chinese start-up, has taken the AI world by storm. The company’s model appears to nearly match (or, to some, exceed) OpenAI’s in performance, at a fraction of the cost. As America aims to maintain its leadership in AI innovation on the world stage, it is an important moment for us to determine what action our innovation ecosystem must take next.

I want to direct SV-AI readers to the always insightful Peter Leroe-Mu?oz, SVP of Tech and Innovation at SVLG, who wrote a piece about how best to respond — and how U.S.-driven research is crucial to propelling innovation.?

“Basic research is scientific or technical research that is conducted with no immediate application intended. In a sense, it’s learning for the sake of learning. Scientists, researchers, and scholars are funded to take the time to think broadly and ask questions,” he explained. “They are not constrained to focus on commercial applications. Instead, smart people are given the latitude to explore and see where innovation takes them.”

I agree with Peter. To lead our global economy, we will have to invest more strategically in this type of basic research – often spearheaded by our world-class universities here in the Bay Area – to give our innovative scientists and researchers a competitive edge.?

And, to be clear, I don’t believe that reducing the cost basis around innovation is a bad thing or that innovation is a zero-sum game, both from an economic or social progress perspective.

There’s a lot more to this story that I am interested to learn about, particularly regarding the veracity of the claims and the infrastructure involved, and we’ll be closely analyzing developments while sharing our insights with you in the months ahead.

A look ahead to AI legislation in 2025

A recent piece from Tech Policy Press analyzes how states might handle AI regulation in the coming year, especially with California serving as a blueprint for policymakers across the country.?

In 2025 legislative efforts to address AI “must walk a fine line to balance numerous interests, including free expression, privacy, consumer protection, individual dignity and safety, economic impact, and innovation,” writes Riana Pefferkorn, a policy fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.

“States are currently looking to each other (and to the EU) for examples of how to write their own AI laws, without knowing how those examples will play out in practice,” she added. “With an evidence-based policy approach, lawmakers can help shape the AI-enabled future to serve us all.”

AI a major topic at Davos

This month, global leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and it’s no surprise that AI was a frequent topic of discussion.

Tech and business leaders discussed various ways the technology has already changed how their businesses operate — and predicted future developments as companies like OpenAI strive to rapidly enhance the technology.

SAP CEO Christian Klein said in a panel that his company has used generative AI to automate tasks like writing compliance checks and closing contracts. This coming year, multiple CEOs projected that AI will integrate further into workflows.

This tracks with my consistent takeaway for business leaders and those striving to optimize operations - a forward-looking, enterprise-wide strategy is essential for effectively integrating AI tools into your existing business frameworks to ensure seamless adoption (and, to preserve your long-term competitive advantage).

Read more about AI and Davos in this insightful Axios piece.

Final thoughts

This week, I had the privilege of joining colleagues Laura Wilkinson and Peter Leroe-Mu?oz for a dynamic discussion on our Silicon Valley Vibes podcast, where we explored important themes shaping our innovation ecosystem. We discussed the future of the innovation economy, the AI revolution, and how emerging technologies are impacting the businesses and startups that make Silicon Valley thrive.

Recent AI developments at both the national and state levels provide tremendous opportunities for Silicon Valley, but we also recognize the rapid pace of deployment and scale must be coupled with responsible innovation and public trust. Additionally, data center expansion will continue to be absolutely critical to ensuring California maintains its position as a leader in AI technologies – we’ll be keeping a close eye on how our SVLG member companies invest in this key infrastructure.

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts.?

Stay safe and healthy, and I will see you next time!

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