This month, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the creation of the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium, to be housed under the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) U.S. AI Safety Institute (USAISI). The consortium is set to unite more than 200 stakeholders, including AI creators and users, academics, government and industry and others from across the community, to advance AI administration efforts.
The first consortium dedicated to AI safety will contribute to President Biden’s October 2023 Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, as it aims to establish new standards for AI safety and security, protect Americans’ privacy, advance equity and civil rights, advocate for consumers and workers, promote innovation and competition, and advance American leadership on a global level, among other priorities.
NIST has published the full list of consortium participants, available online. Consortium participants include several members of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
“The U.S. government has a significant role to play in setting the standards and developing the tools we need to mitigate the risks and harness the immense potential of artificial intelligence. President Biden directed us to pull every lever to accomplish two key goals: set safety standards and protect our innovation ecosystem. That’s precisely what the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium is set up to help us do,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo during the announcement.
“AI is moving the world into very new territory. And like every new technology, or every new application of technology, we need to know how to measure its capabilities, its limitations, its impacts. That is why NIST brings together these incredible collaborations of representatives from industry, academia, civil society, and the government, all coming together to tackle challenges that are of national importance,” noted Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST director Laurie E. Locascio.
The announcement follows the appointment of two AI leaders: In early February, Secretary of Commerce Raimondo announced that Elizabeth Kelly, special assistant to the president for economic policy, will lead USAISI as its inaugural director, and Elham Tabassi, chief AI advisor for NIST, will serve as its chief technology officer.
Last year, several leading AI companies signed voluntary commitments to help the administration move toward safe, secure, and transparent development of AI technology. The commitment included a pledge to work with standards-setting bodies and industry peers.
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