Cisco, Schneider Electric Call for Enabling Regulations to Help AI Flourish

Why It Matters

A unified policy framework will accelerate AI investment, secure supply chains, and keep the United States competitive in the global AI race.

Key Takeaways

• AI policy must unify federal and state regulations to reduce uncertainty
• Cisco emphasizes security and in‑house AI chips to protect supply chains
• Schneider Electric stresses power grid readiness for AI data centers
• Workforce training and community colleges crucial for AI job pipeline
• Federal AI Action Plan targets high‑pay jobs and bias‑free systems

Pulse Analysis

The SelectUSA Investment Summit in National Harbor turned into a policy forum as industry leaders pressed Washington for a unified AI regulatory framework. Speakers cited the 2025 AI Action Plan and a December 2025 executive order that aim to eliminate a patchwork of state rules, streamline funding, and create high‑paying jobs. By reducing legal uncertainty, the federal government can attract the capital needed to scale AI infrastructure across manufacturing, finance, and health care. Consistent rules also help companies navigate data‑security obligations and bias‑mitigation standards.

Cisco’s senior public‑policy manager, Miranda Lutz, argued that security must be the foundation of any AI rollout. The company is embedding encryption, threat detection, and provenance checks into its networking stack while simultaneously developing proprietary AI chips to reduce reliance on external suppliers. By keeping data processing local and preserving an open internet, Cisco hopes to give customers flexibility without sacrificing trust. This dual focus on cyber‑resilience and supply‑chain independence positions the firm to meet enterprise demands for secure, high‑performance AI workloads.

Schneider Electric’s Erica Fitzgerald highlighted power delivery as the other critical bottleneck for AI expansion. Data centers powering large language models can strain regional grids, prompting states to showcase robust electricity capacity as a competitive advantage. Schneider is advising municipalities on grid modernization, renewable integration, and on‑site backup to meet the soaring demand. At the same time, both Cisco and Schneider stress community engagement—partnering with local colleges, reskilling workers, and ensuring AI projects generate lasting jobs. Aligning infrastructure, policy, and talent pipelines will determine whether the United States retains its AI leadership.