Trump administration taps Google AI to draft regulations, raising safety concerns

The Trump administration plans to utilize Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence to draft major federal regulations, beginning with a pilot program at the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Proponents of the plan say the move could "revolutionize" the federal rulemaking process. Gregory Zerzan, legal counsel for the DOT, stated that President Trump is enthusiastic about the initiative, which prioritizes speed and volume.

"We don’t need a perfect rule," Zerzan said during a meeting, noting the administration’s goal is to "mass produce" regulations that are "good enough."

According to the plan, Gemini can generate a draft regulation in less than 20 minutes. The traditional process of drafting such rules typically takes several months.

However, the initiative has drawn sharp criticism. Opponents warn that the DOT oversees critical safety standards for commercial aviation, hazardous material transport, and driver qualifications.

Critics argue that using a technology known for making errors could lead to costly lawsuits and potential casualties. Mike Horton, the former director of AI at the DOT, Likened the strategy to "letting a high school intern draft regulations."

The Trump administration’s move to integrate Artificial Intelligence into the federal rulemaking process is less a technological upgrade than a strategic offensive aimed at accelerating its political agenda. By prioritizing speed and volume—encapsulated by a Department of Transportation (DOT) official’s mandate for "mass production"—the administration is signaling a fundamental shift toward the rapid dismantling of the "administrative state." This automated approach allows for the swift issuance or reversal of regulations, effectively bypassing the protracted deliberation and public consultation cycles that have historically anchored U.S. governance.

However, the rush to automate policy carries profound risks, particularly in the transportation sector where regulatory precision is a prerequisite for public safety. Rules drafted by algorithms rather than subject-matter experts are almost certain to face rigorous legal scrutiny. Under the Administrative Procedure Act, regulations may be vacated if they are found to lack a "reasoned basis" or sufficient expertise, making this AI-driven strategy a magnet for litigation.

For international stakeholders, the implications are equally destabilizing. Vietnamese aviation and maritime industries, which must navigate a complex web of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DOT mandates to operate within the U.S., now face an increasingly volatile regulatory landscape. The prospect of hastily drafted, potentially flawed mandates creates significant compliance hurdles and threatens to drive up operational costs. For global partners, the shift toward AI-generated governance replaces predictable oversight with a cycle of regulatory flux, complicating long-term investment and cross-border trade.

While this policy impacts the daily lives and road safety of all Americans, including the Vietnamese community, it does not have a disproportionate or specific effect on Vietnamese-American interests. Whether it involves the operations of small businesses like phở restaurants and nail salons in Little Saigon, or community-specific concerns regarding remittances and visa categories such as F2B, H-1B, TPS, or EB-5, the policy remains broad in scope and does not target any unique aspects of our diaspora.