White House weighs reining in contractors’ control over how agencies use AI - Government Executive

The White House is considering an executive order that would establish a working group to review AI models before they are deployed by federal agencies. According to a May 2026 report by Government Executive, the working group would assess models prior to deployment to ensure government control over the technology.

Specifically, the policy language being floated would create a review process that involves the working group evaluating AI systems before agencies can deploy them. This is intended to reduce the influence of contractors in decisions about technology use. The order is part of broader discussions within the administration about AI governance and federal procurement.

The proposed executive order follows earlier reports that the White House was considering requiring government pre-approval for frontier AI models. In this case, the focus is on limiting contractor involvement and ensuring that agencies retain decision-making power. The details of the working group's composition and authority have not yet been finalized.