On February 8, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the creation of the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC), which will unite AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations in support of the development and deployment of safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI). The consortium will be housed under the U.S. AI Safety Institute (USAISI) and will contribute to priority actions outlined in President Biden’s landmark Executive Order, including developing guidelines for red-teaming, capability evaluations, risk management, safety and security, and watermarking synthetic content.
The consortium includes more than 200 member companies and organizations that are on the frontlines of creating and using the most advanced AI systems and hardware, the nation’s largest companies and most innovative startups, civil society and academic teams that are building the foundational understanding of how AI can and will transform our society, and representatives of professions with deep engagement in AI’s use today.
The consortium represents the largest collection of test and evaluation teams established to date and will focus on establishing the foundations for a new measurement science in AI safety. The consortium also includes state and local governments, as well as non-profits, and will work with organizations from like-minded nations that have a key role to play in developing interoperable and effective tools for safety around the world.
“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," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio at a Feb. 8, 2024, press briefing announcing the consortium
The full list of consortium participants is available online.
“To keep pace with AI, we have to move fast and make sure everyone – from the government to the private sector to academia – is rowing in the same direction. Thanks to President Biden's landmark Executive Order, the AI Safety Consortium provides a critical forum for all of us to work together to seize the promise and manage the risks posed by AI,” said Bruce Reed, White House Deputy Chief of Staff.
Read the full Department of Commerce press release.
