Driving the Day

Today is February 20, 2025, and here are the key policymaker and stakeholder actions on AI you need to know: Axios suggested the Trump Administration is shifting the federal government’s focus from AI safety issues to AI’s role in “innovation, national security, and competition.” Meanwhile, the Virginia legislature passed a comprehensive AI anti-discrimination bill that will now go to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R) desk. Across the pond, the UK government reaffirmed that only the Prime Minister, not AI systems, can authorize nuclear weapon use.

In this issue:

• Washington in Focus: Mark Zuckerberg went to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to lobby U.S. senators on AI.

• Around the Nation: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) banned Chinese-owned DeepSeek on state devices.

• Across the Pond: A report from experts at the University of Cambridge discussed why forcing U.K. creators to 'opt out' of AI training risks stifling new talent.

• Global Highlights: China’s ports adopted DeepSeek’s AI model to streamline operations.

• Outside Views: The senior director of corporate sustainability at Nvidia published an article claiming to bust “the top myths about AI and energy efficiency.”

Read these stories and more below: