How are governments using public procurement policy to shape AI development and standards?

Governments are leveraging public procurement policies to influence AI development by imposing requirements on contracts that promote openness, sovereignty, and strategic adoption. In the US, draft guidelines for civilian government AI contracts mandate that companies make their models available for any lawful use, aiming to ensure accessibility and reduce restrictions amid tensions with firms like Anthropic [1][7]. Similarly, Canada is procuring made-in-Canada sovereign AI tools for public services through a new Office of Digital Transformation, fostering domestic innovation and efficiency while prioritizing national control over AI infrastructure [9]. In China, public procurement is being reshaped through accelerated AI integration into bidding and tendering processes, with state-owned enterprises increasing investments in AI infrastructure across sectors like industry, transport, and urban development, in alignment with central government directives [3]. Broader strategies emphasize using procurement alongside regulation and standards to build comparative advantages in AI ecosystems, rather than pursuing full self-sufficiency, as no country can achieve complete AI sovereignty [11]. These approaches help shape AI standards by tying funding to national priorities like security, growth, and public good.