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OMB memo M-26-04 makes 'unbiased AI' terms mandatory in federal LLM contracts

PolicyGovernmentFrontierUSConfirmed

Implementing the July 2025 'Preventing Woke AI' order, M-26-04 requires agencies to write 'truth-seeking' and 'ideological neutrality' requirements into new LLM contracts and to update procurement policies by 11 March 2026. Vendors must at minimum supply acceptable-use policies, model or system cards and a feedback channel, and agencies may demand more, such as system-prompt, red-teaming and bias-evaluation details.

Why it matters

Any lab selling LLMs to US agencies now faces disclosure duties and contractual neutrality tests that can be used to exclude a vendor.

SourceThe White House (OMB M-26-04)Coverage: Lawfare Checked against the primary source. Independently fact-checked on 7 Oct 2026.
Office of Management and Budget

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