WASHINGTON—The United States’ export credit agency passed an initiative on May 21 to strengthen American leadership on artificial intelligence (AI).

The board of directors at the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) passed the ExportAI Initiative following a 3–0 vote on the morning of May 21.

According to a document seen by The Epoch Times, the initiative will bolster U.S. AI leadership by “modernizing EXIM financing tools and supporting the export of trusted U.S. AI technologies across industries of the future.”

Under the initiative, the bank would support U.S. efforts to expand the global reach of trusted American AI technologies by leveraging exports designated through the Department of Commerce. It would also streamline the content certification process for U.S. exporters to reduce delays. At the same time, it would expand financing eligibility to create new opportunities for U.S. companies seeking AI-related exports, including insurance and loan guarantees for medium-term needs, as well as direct loans and loan guarantees for long-term support.

By supporting U.S. AI exporters, the initiative would promote U.S. economic growth, support high-quality American jobs, strengthen domestic supply chains, and advance U.S. national security objectives.

In July 2025, the White House released its AI action plan, which focused on removing barriers to accelerate AI innovation, expanding AI infrastructure, and promoting American AI technologies and standards globally.

Alongside the action plan, President Donald Trump signed three executive orders, including one directing the secretary of commerce to establish an American AI Exports Program and to promote the export of full-stack AI technology packages, including hardware, software, models, and applications.

Three months later, the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration announced the implementation of the program, while EXIM moved to support it through its financing tools.

“Supporting the President’s AI export program is about ensuring the future is defined by U.S. led innovation and American strength,” EXIM Chairman John Jovanovic said in a statement at the time. “EXIM is unleashing America’s financing power to help U.S. companies compete and win in the race to define the next generation of AI built on U.S. values and technology.”

On April 1, the Commerce Department opened a call for proposals for the program, giving U.S. companies until June 30 this year to submit proposals to “deliver full-stack American AI technology packages to international partners.”

“By promoting full-stack American solutions, we are strengthening our economic and national security, deepening ties with allies and partners, and ensuring that the future of AI is led by the United States,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement at the time.

Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the inaugural call for proposals marked the beginning of “Trump’s vision for sharing a trusted, sovereign AI stack with the world,” according to a statement at the time.

In a memo addressed to federal agencies on April 23, Kratsios warned that foreign entities, primarily based in China, are carrying out “industrial-scale campaigns” to extract advanced U.S. AI technology.

According to the memo, these foreign campaigns involve “tens of thousands of proxy accounts” and the use of jailbreaking techniques to extract proprietary information.

The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), whose members ​include Amazon, Apple, and Nvidia, has welcomed the program.

“U.S. exporters can only drive growth and lead in the world’s AI race with access to global markets,” ITI President and CEO Jason Oxman said in a statement on Oct. 22, 2025.

“The American AI Exports Program offers a unique opportunity to incentivize direct investment in the United States, support U.S. manufacturing, and ensure technology from the U.S. and trusted partners is built into the global AI tech stack.”