Ex‑Biden Official Jason Matheny and RAND Seen as Potential Counterweight to Trump’s AI Agenda
As the White House presses for U.S. AI dominance, RAND’s research and Jason Matheny’s effective‑altruism ties are drawing attention as sources of regulatory pressure and policy expertise.
Jason Matheny, the chief executive of the RAND Corporation and a former Biden administration technology official, has emerged as a potential counterweight to President Donald Trump’s push for rapid U.S. advancement in artificial intelligence, according to reporting that highlights Matheny’s ties to the effective altruism movement and RAND’s research priorities.
Trump signed an executive order this year titled “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” and has convened technology leaders at the White House as part of an effort he described as “Winning the AI Race.” Supporters of the administration’s approach argue it prioritizes innovation and competitiveness; others, including some researchers and advocacy groups, have urged stronger safeguards and reporting requirements for AI development.
Matheny, who served in multiple White House and federal roles from 2021 to 2022 — including deputy assistant to the president for technology and national security, deputy director for national security at the Office of Science and Technology Policy and coordinator for technology and national security at the National Security Council — now leads RAND, a public policy research organization that produces analysis on AI’s benefits and risks.
Reporting by Fox News and other outlets has identified Matheny as a figure associated with the effective altruism movement, a philanthropic social movement that prioritizes interventions its adherents judge to do the most good. Some proponents of effective altruism have directed resources to work they consider important for reducing long‑term risks from advanced AI. A former Defense Department official told Fox News Digital that Matheny, after a 2017 speech at an effective altruism forum, had sought to place like‑minded personnel in government and contractor roles to advance what the official described as an ‘‘AI‑doomerism’’ worldview.
RAND pushed back on that characterization. A RAND spokesperson said Matheny "believes a wide range of views and backgrounds are essential to analyzing and informing sound public policy" and that RAND’s approach to AI is to examine a broad range of opportunities and threats rather than to view the technology only through an ‘‘existential threat’’ lens. The spokesperson said Matheny and RAND seek to contribute technical expertise and analysis to policymaking, including the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan.
The organization has continued to publish research and commentary on AI’s implications. In recent months RAND posts and reports have examined how AI could reshape cybersecurity economics and the expanding use of AI chatbots in areas such as mental‑health support. Those products underscore RAND’s role as an analyst of both risks and policy choices, even as the political debate over regulation versus rapid deployment intensifies.
The Biden administration issued an executive order in 2023 titled "Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence," which called for measures to harness AI’s benefits while mitigating risks such as fraud, discrimination, disinformation and national‑security concerns. Politico reported that RAND researchers were involved in providing technical expertise to inform that order; RAND told Fox News Digital that Matheny had no role in crafting the Biden executive order.
President Trump’s 2025 order rescinded the Biden directive and reframed the federal approach toward reducing barriers to American AI leadership. Some industry figures and policy advocates have warned that heavy regulatory burdens could slow innovation and weaken the U.S. competitive position relative to other countries. Others argue that more stringent governance, standardized evaluations and reporting can reduce harms and make AI deployment safer.
Tensions between the administration and certain AI firms have surfaced. Reporting earlier this year indicated friction between the Trump administration and Anthropic, a major AI company with ties to researchers who have been associated with effective altruism and with previous Democratic administrations. RAND said its analysis is focused on elements of the Trump plan such as AI evaluations, secure data centers, energy demands of models, cybersecurity and biosecurity.
Analysts say the presence of influential researchers and donors who prioritize long‑term AI risk reduction has shifted parts of the public debate. Matheny’s 2017 remarks at an effective altruism forum, cited in reporting, urged supporters to pursue influence through government jobs, contractors and think tanks; he argued even relatively junior positions can have substantial impact on policy decisions.
Critics of that strategy say it can lead to restrictive policies that slow technological progress. Supporters contend that rigorous assessment and measured governance are necessary to avoid large societal harms. RAND’s public statements emphasize contributing evidence and analysis to policymaking regardless of which administration is in power; the organization said it stands ready to provide expertise to the current administration while noting differences in policy priorities.
As the White House and industry map next steps, RAND’s publications and Matheny’s profile illustrate the broader contest over how the United States balances innovation, competitiveness and risk management in AI. The debate is likely to continue to shape legislative proposals, agency actions and interactions between government and technology companies in the months ahead.