The U.S. federal government is seeking public input to help shape the nation’s next Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and development (R&D) strategy, as outlined in a Request for Information (RFI) released by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
The new 2025 National AI R&D Strategic Plan aims to position the United States as the world leader in AI innovation, with an emphasis on economic competitiveness, national security, and human flourishing. The NSF’s Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) is coordinating the effort and will consider input submitted by May 29, 2025.
This strategic planning initiative follows President Trump’s January executive order (EO 14179), “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence,” which calls for a government-wide action plan to accelerate AI adoption and ensure U.S. dominance in the field.
While industry investment in AI has grown rapidly, the RFI stresses the government’s unique role in funding long-term, high-risk research not immediately profitable but essential to public good and national interest. Areas of focus include AI for national security, critical infrastructure, public sector services, cybersecurity, and education, as well as foundational advances in AI theory, hardware, and reasoning capabilities.
“The federal government has a responsibility to fund breakthrough AI research that serves the American public—especially where commercial incentives fall short,” the RFI states. Respondents are encouraged to identify priority research challenges and propose new mechanisms for public-private R&D partnerships.
Public input will inform the strategic direction of U.S. AI policy for the next three to five years. It will also help align the 2025 plan with the broader AI Action Plan being developed under EO 14179.
Submissions must be made via Regulations.gov under Docket ID No. NSF-2025-OGC-0001. Further information is available at www.nitrd.gov.
The finalized plan is expected later this year.
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