White House instructs agencies to stop using ‘biased’ AI

The Office of Management and Budget issued a new memorandum on Tuesday to ensure artificial intelligence technology procured within the federal government produces “truthful” outputs that do not “manipulate responses in favor of ideological dogmas.” 

Created as a part of President Donald Trump’s July executive orders that sought to eradicate “woke” AI, the new OMB memo aims to prevent large language models within the federal government that are deemed not “truth-seeking,” specifying that within federal agencies, “LLMs shall prioritize historical accuracy, scientific inquiry, and objectivity, and shall acknowledge uncertainty where reliable information is incomplete or contradictory.”

The memo prompts agencies to evaluate existing contracts that may employ LLMs that don’t fit OMB’s parameters and modify existing contracts to ensure LLM products are in compliance with the new Unbiased AI Principles. 

By March 11, 2026, agencies must update their internal policies and procedures to reflect the imperative of ideology-free AI and LLM softwares. These updated procedures must also include a path for agency users to report LLMs that violate OMB’s outlined principles. 

“When procuring an LLM, agencies must obtain sufficient information from the vendor to determine whether that LLM complies with the Unbiased AI Principles,” the memo reads. “The amount and type of information available will vary depending on the vendor’s role within the software supply chain and its relationship with the LLM developer itself, with more information generally being available from sources closer to the original LLM developer.”

Agencies are also directed to avoid compelling a vendor to disclose sensitive technical data, namely model weights that help determine a specific output. Any documentation requests to a private sector partner should seek enough information for an agency to assess a given model’s risk management actions to confirm it complies with Unbiased AI Principles. 

The Trump administration has been looking to remove “woke” AI systems from federal operations throughout 2025. OMB previously held listening sessions to learn more from industry partners about how to evaluate an AI model’s transparency and risk potential. 

Some experts have voiced concerns, however, that weeding out certain LLM products based on output contrary to the Trump administration’s policy posture is potentially harmful for free speech.