AI executives and lobbyists say they are seeking regulatory clarity from the Trump administration but are wary of pressing for answers, fearing retaliation

The AI industry has a regulation problem — and it's not what you'd expect. Executives and lobbyists want clear rules from the Trump administration, but they're too scared to actually ask for them.

The fear? Retaliation. Companies are tiptoeing around Washington, desperate for guidance on what they can and can't do, but unwilling to press the issue in case it blows up in their faces.

The administration's unpredictability was on full display Friday when it partially walked back its own export ban on Anthropic. One day you're banned, the next day you're partially unbanned. Good luck building a business strategy around that.

It's a bizarre dynamic: an industry flush with cash and influence, effectively paralyzed by regulatory whiplash. The result is a chilling effect where major AI players are self-censoring their policy asks rather than risk drawing unwanted attention.