The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is piloting a new artificial intelligence system aimed at reviewing and potentially repealing a significant portion of U.S. federal regulations.
Highlights
- Massive regulatory review: The AI tool is analyzing 200,000 federal regulations with the goal of eliminating up to 50% by January 20, 2026.
- Political context: The timeline aligns with a potential return of Donald Trump and reflects a continuation of his prior deregulatory efforts.
- Operational rollout: The tool has already been tested at HUD and CFPB, where it reduced manual workloads by 93% and even drafted deregulation proposals.
- Interpretation flaws: Agency staff flagged misread statutes and errors in legal interpretation, sparking concerns about oversight and constitutionality.
- Tight deadlines: Agencies must nominate rules for repeal by September 1, 2025, with implementation culminating in early 2026.
- DOGE 2.0 remains active: Despite Elon Musk’s exit, DOGE continues to deploy AI-backed reforms across federal departments and state governments.
- Growing adoption: At least 25 U.S. states are launching similar programs, many modeled on DOGE’s AI tool for streamlining local regulations.
- Legal uncertainty looms: Experts predict court challenges if the AI tool is used without human review to enforce real policy changes.
According to an internal presentation dated July 1 and reported by The Washington Post, the system—dubbed the AI Deregulation Decision Tool—is being used to assess approximately 200,000 existing regulations, with the goal of eliminating up to 50% of them.
The initiative is reportedly tied to a broader deregulatory agenda associated with former President Donald Trump.
A proposed timeline within the presentation indicates an intent to complete the regulatory review and repeal process by January 20, 2026—one year from a potential Trump return to office.
While no formal approval has been issued, a White House spokesperson characterized the DOGE team as “the best and brightest in the business,” signaling internal support at high levels of government.
Early Deployment
The AI tool is already in limited use. Initial deployments have occurred at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
At HUD, the system reviewed more than 1,083 regulatory sections in less than two weeks, highlighting discrepancies and suggesting deletions. At the CFPB, reports indicate that the AI drafted all deregulation actions in early test phases, pointing to its operational role beyond analysis.
DOGE officials claim the AI can reduce manual review workloads by 93%, significantly expediting what would traditionally take millions of human labor hours.
Accuracy Concerns
Concerns have been raised by agency staff regarding the tool’s interpretive accuracy. At HUD, employees noted that the system misread certain statutes and incorrectly flagged compliant legal language for removal.
Critics argue that the use of AI in repealing regulations at this scale introduces legal and constitutional risks, particularly around administrative authority and the fidelity of statutory interpretation.
Legal experts anticipate challenges if the tool is used to drive actual policy changes, especially without human oversight or transparent review mechanisms.
Project Timeline
Internal DOGE documents outline a tight implementation schedule. Agencies are expected to submit candidate regulations for repeal by September 1, 2025, with AI training and onboarding sessions taking place throughout the summer.
The final phase of the project is slated to culminate on January 20, 2026, coinciding with a symbolic “government relaunch.”
This effort builds on prior deregulatory actions, including an executive order from President Trump’s first term that required agencies to eliminate ten regulations for every new one introduced.
Organizational Continuity and State-Level Adoption
Despite Elon Musk’s departure from the agency in May, DOGE continues its efforts under what some insiders describe as “DOGE 2.0.”
The updated team remains embedded across key federal departments, including Education, Social Security, Veterans Affairs, and HUD, advancing its AI-centered reform agenda quietly but assertively.
At least 25 U.S. states have launched similar efficiency programs. Some of these initiatives employ AI-driven tools modeled after DOGE’s, aimed at identifying outdated or duplicative state regulations.
Scope and Potential Impact
- The AI tool is analyzing around 200,000 federal regulations, with the aim of eliminating up to 100,000 by early 2026.
- Preliminary metrics show it has already been used to review over a thousand regulatory provisions at HUD and fully automate early-stage deregulations at CFPB.
- DOGE claims the tool can reduce human regulatory workload by 93%.
- Legal and technical experts are monitoring the project for potential interpretive errors and constitutional questions.
