📊 Full opportunity report: The United States: The High-Variance Bet on ThorstenMeyerAI.com — validation score, market gap, and execution plan.

TL;DR

The United States is actively minimizing federal regulation of AI and social safety nets, betting on market-driven growth and local experiments. This approach contrasts with heavier European regulation and has significant implications for innovation and social policy.

The United States is pursuing a strategy of minimal regulation for artificial intelligence and social safety nets, emphasizing market-led growth and local innovation. This approach, formalized through recent executive orders and legislative requests, aims to maintain America’s leadership in AI and economic dynamism amid a broader global regulatory shift.

Since early 2025, the US administration has revoked previous AI oversight policies and replaced them with a stance favoring deregulation and ‘American leadership’ in AI development. In July 2025, the ‘AI Action Plan’ was introduced, emphasizing minimal regulation to foster innovation. By December 2025, the White House had taken steps to challenge state-level AI laws through federal courts and threatened to withhold federal funds from states with burdensome regulations. In March 2026, the White House formally requested Congress to preempt state AI laws altogether. Meanwhile, at the local level, over 150 cities and counties are running guaranteed-income pilots, such as Stockton and Cook County, which have established permanent monthly payments for low-income residents. These initiatives are largely independent of federal policy, filling the social safety net void left by the federal government’s deregulatory stance.

The United States: The High-Variance Bet · Post-Labor Atlas Phase 2 · Day 6/12
Post-Labor Atlas · Phase 2 · Day 6 / 12 ThorstenMeyerAI.com · The Response
The Response · Day 6 · United States

The High-Variance Bet

The country building the disruption made the most distinctive choice of all: bet on the dynamism, regulate it least — even block others from regulating it — and tie the floor to work. The thinnest row on the map.

01 Signature — a federal void, filled from below
▲ Federal — clear the path
Revoked prior AI oversight EO (Jan 2025) “AI dominance” Action Plan (Jul 2025) DOJ task force vs state AI laws (Jan 2026) push to preempt state rules floor tied to work (EITC)
↕   the federal void   ↕
▲ Local — fill the void
150+ city guaranteed-income pilots Stockton SEED · $500/mo Cook County · $500/mo made permanent (2026) philanthropic + city-budget no federal scale
The response is underway — bottom-up and patchy — while the center deregulates and moves to block the states.
02 The US five-lever profile — the sparest on the map
Income floor
minimal
EITC is real but entirely work-gated — near-zero for childless adults. No UBI; guaranteed income only in local pilots.
Capital & ownership
minimal
No state fund or dividend — the bet is private markets (401ks, retail) + nascent “Trump accounts”; equity ownership is concentrated.
Work & time
minimal
The most flexible labour market in the rich world — at-will, no job guarantee, no short-time-work scheme.
Skills & transition
partial
Community colleges + federal workforce programs — fragmented and modestly funded.
Institutions
minimal
Actively deregulatory — moving to preempt even state AI laws. The most market-led stance on the map.
03 The wager, in numbers
~$660 vs $8,231
EITC max for a childless worker vs a worker with 3+ kids (2026) — the floor is generous for working families, near-zero for childless adults.
150+ cities
running guaranteed-income pilots (Cook County made $500/mo permanent, 2026) — the floor improvised locally, no federal program.
preempt the states
a DOJ AI Litigation Task Force (2026) + a push to bar state AI laws — Washington isn’t light-touch; it’s moving to prevent regulation.
Sources: IRS / Center on Budget & Policy Priorities & Tax Policy Center (EITC); Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, Cook County (pilots); White House EOs & National Policy Framework (federal AI posture) · figures indicative, mid-2026.
04 The Response Matrix — row 5 of 10
Jurisdiction
Income floor
Capital
Work & time
Skills
Institutions
European Union
strong*
minimal
strong
strong
strong
The Nordics
strong
partial
partial
strong
strong
United Kingdom
partial
minimal
partial
partial
partial
Canada
partial
minimal
partial
partial
minimal
United States
minimal
minimal
minimal
partial
minimal
The Gulf
·
·
·
·
·
Singapore
·
·
·
·
·
China
·
·
·
·
·
India
·
·
·
·
·
Brazil
·
·
·
·
·
solid = pulled hard · outline = partial · grey = barely used · the market-led pole: minimal almost everywhere — bet on the engine, not the airbag. Highest upside, thinnest backstop.

Independent commentary, produced with AI assistance under human editorial oversight. The views are the author’s own and may change. This is analysis, not policy, economic, investment, or legal advice. Descriptions of US federal AI executive actions, the EITC, “Trump accounts,” and municipal guaranteed-income pilots reflect publicly reported information as of mid-2026 and may change as litigation and legislation evolve. This phase maps differing approaches and endorses none; characterizations of contested policies present competing views, not a verdict, and references to specific administrations and programs are factual and analytical, not partisan. Country and program names are referenced for analysis and imply no affiliation.

ThorstenMeyerAI.com · Post-Labor Transition Atlas · Phase 2 · Day 6 of 12 · © 2026 Thorsten Meyer

Implications of the US’s Deregulatory Strategy

This approach prioritizes maintaining America’s competitive edge in AI and economic growth, potentially at the expense of social protections. It reflects a fundamental belief that market dynamism, private ownership, and local experimentation will generate more wealth and innovation than regulation. However, it raises questions about social safety and the ability of local initiatives to scale effectively across the country. The federal government’s efforts to block state regulations further deepen the contrast between national policy and local innovation, shaping the future landscape of AI and social policy in the US.

The AI-Powered Insurance Agency

The AI-Powered Insurance Agency

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

Background of US AI and Social Policy Strategy

Historically, the US has favored market-led approaches to technological and economic change, with minimal federal oversight. Since early 2025, the administration has shifted away from oversight policies, emphasizing leadership through deregulation. This contrasts with European and Nordic countries, which have adopted heavier regulation and social safety nets. Meanwhile, local governments have taken independent action, running guaranteed-income pilots and experimenting with social safety measures. The US’s approach is rooted in a long-standing belief that innovation and wealth creation come from market freedom rather than regulation, a view reinforced by the country’s deep pools of AI investment and private capital.

“We are removing barriers to American leadership in artificial intelligence to ensure our continued global competitiveness.”

— Official White House statement

A New Handbook of Strategy for Advocates of Universal Basic Income: Featuring two uncommon ideas that need to be emphasized

A New Handbook of Strategy for Advocates of Universal Basic Income: Featuring two uncommon ideas that need to be emphasized

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

Unclear Impact of Deregulation on Social Protections

It remains unclear how sustainable and scalable these local guaranteed-income programs are without federal support, and whether the deregulatory approach will effectively sustain American leadership in AI without accompanying social protections. The long-term social and economic impacts of minimal regulation on innovation and inequality are still developing and debated among experts.

GESTION LABORAL Y SEGURIDAD SOCIAL-2 ED

GESTION LABORAL Y SEGURIDAD SOCIAL-2 ED

GESTIÓN LABORAL Y SEGURIDAD SOCIAL-2 Ed [Próxima aparición]

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

Future Developments in US AI and Social Policy

Expect ongoing efforts by Congress to preempt state AI laws, potentially leading to federal legislation that codifies deregulation. Simultaneously, local governments are likely to expand or replicate guaranteed-income pilots, though their success and scalability remain uncertain. Monitoring federal legislative activity and local pilot outcomes over the coming months will be key to understanding how the US’s strategy evolves.

Practical AI Governance: Building a Program for Oversight and Strategy

Practical AI Governance: Building a Program for Oversight and Strategy

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.

Key Questions

Why is the US choosing minimal regulation for AI?

The US believes that deregulation will foster innovation, maintain its global leadership, and grow the economy faster by avoiding constraints that could slow technological development.

Are local guaranteed-income programs funded by the federal government?

No, most local programs are funded independently through city budgets, philanthropy, or pilot grants, operating largely outside federal influence.

Could this approach increase inequality?

It is possible, as the social safety net is limited and heavily reliant on local initiatives, which may not be scalable or sufficient to address broader social needs.

What are the risks of the federal government challenging state AI laws?

This could lead to legal conflicts, uncertainty for AI developers, and a fragmented regulatory landscape, potentially hindering national AI strategies.

How does this US approach compare to Europe or Asia?

Unlike Europe, which has implemented heavier regulation and social protections, the US favors a market-driven, deregulated model focused on innovation and private ownership.

Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com

You May Also Like

Different Game, or Already Lost? Reading Mistral’s Sovereignty Bet

Analyzing whether Mistral’s shift to full-stack AI is a strategic move or a sign of falling behind in frontier models, based on recent summit insights.

White-collar professional services. The Tier 1 displacement.

Major shifts in white-collar professional services include significant reductions in graduate hiring and AI-driven job displacement, especially in legal, banking, and accounting sectors.

World Series 2025: A Baseball Showdown for the Ages

Nearing a historic climax, the 2025 World Series promises unforgettable moments—discover how this epic showdown could change baseball forever.

Big Tech Under Fire: Governments Eye Industry Giants

Governments are scrutinizing Big Tech giants for potential anti-competitive practices, raising questions about how these actions could reshape the industry and your daily life.