President Donald Trump said he would approve an executive order this week establishing “ONE RULE” on artificial intelligence aimed at limiting state-level policies regulating the technology.

“I will be doing a ONE RULE Executive Order this week. You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something,” Trump posted Monday on social media.

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Trump’s move comes amid growing concerns from the tech industry about a patchwork of state regulations that could stifle innovation in AI, a field seen as critical to US economic competitiveness against rivals like China.

The executive order would likely direct federal agencies to preempt state laws on AI deployment, safety standards, and data privacy, creating a unified national framework instead.

Industry leaders have lobbied heavily for such federal oversight. Executives from companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta have warned that varying state rules—such as California’s proposed AI safety bills and New York’s biometric data laws—could impose compliance burdens equivalent to navigating 50 different countries.

Trump, who has positioned himself as a deregulatory champion, echoed these sentiments in his post, emphasizing the need for streamlined approvals to foster rapid AI advancement.

The announcement follows Trump’s recent meetings with Silicon Valley donors and AI pioneers, signaling a shift toward embracing the technology after earlier criticisms during his campaign.

While details of the order remain sparse, sources close to the administration indicate it may include directives for the Commerce Department to draft model federal guidelines, potentially overriding state initiatives by year’s end.

Critics, including civil liberties groups and some Democratic lawmakers, argue that a single federal rule risks undercutting robust protections against AI biases, deepfakes, and job displacement.

“Federal preemption shouldn’t mean a race to the bottom,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren in a statement. Nonetheless, Trump’s pledge has boosted tech stocks, with the Nasdaq rising 1.2% on the news.

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