Trump AI Export Program Draws Just 78 Applications in First Round

The Trump administration's flagship program to expand American AI dominance globally has stumbled out of the gate, receiving just 78 applications in its first round—far fewer than the hundreds Commerce Department officials anticipated.

The American AI Exports Program, launched in October following a July 2025 executive order, was designed to help U.S. companies sell semiconductors, AI models, and software to foreign buyers through government financing, advocacy, and licensing incentives. The June 30 application deadline revealed tepid industry interest in what President Trump has positioned as central to competing with China's rapidly advancing AI sector.

Why it matters

The weak response signals a fundamental disconnect between the administration's ambitions and industry realities. As Chinese companies like DeepSeek and Alibaba roll out low-cost, open-source AI models that developing nations are increasingly adopting, the U.S. government's ability to shape global AI adoption through direct intervention appears limited. The program's struggles also highlight the tension between promoting American technology abroad while simultaneously imposing ad-hoc security restrictions that undermine buyer confidence.

Industry skepticism runs deep

Major AI companies remain unconvinced the program offers meaningful value, according to more than half a dozen technology executives, industry leaders, and analysts. The Commerce Department's structure—requiring complete AI export packages spanning chips, cloud infrastructure, models, cybersecurity, and applications—demands coordination across multiple companies, typically the largest players who already have established international operations.

"The larger technology companies, the hyperscalers, and so on, they have strong global operations," said Paul Lekas of the Software & Information Industry Association. These firms already know how to navigate different jurisdictions and negotiate with foreign governments.

Amazon Web Services confirmed submitting an application, and Nvidia said it "looks forward to participating," but other expected anchor companies including OpenAI and Advanced Micro Devices have not disclosed their involvement.

The Anthropic effect

Industry hesitation intensified after the administration abruptly ordered AI company Anthropic to cut off foreign access to its latest models—a directive later reversed. The episode raised red flags for governments considering whether to build critical infrastructure around American AI technology that could face sudden policy shifts.

"It's not worth the headache and complexity, and it's not clear there's much upside to tying those projects to the Trump administration right now," said a senior official at a Washington-based tech industry group.

The program has faced operational challenges beyond industry skepticism. The original late-October deadline passed without a request for proposals, and the application window didn't open until April 1. A coalition of more than a dozen industry organizations requested additional time to provide feedback, citing the program's complexity.

What comes next

A second phase where the government brings specific deals to companies for bidding has yet to launch. Industry groups say they're still waiting for clarity on how the program will operate in practice.

The Commerce Department's International Trade Administration said applications came from a "cross-section of the AI industry" targeting sectors including agriculture, education, autonomous logistics, and public safety. An agency official told POLITICO the volume "exceeded our expectations," though the department declined to list specific participating companies.

Whether foreign buyers will actually engage with government-branded AI packages remains uncertain. "Right now, what I think the administration is trying to do is assemble the supply side," said Aaron Cooper of the Business Software Alliance.

These details were first reported by Politico.