On Friday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science Transportation, joined a letter led by Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging the inclusion of initial funding of $10 million to establish the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (USAISI) in the Fiscal Year 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill or any other relevant funding opportunities. The letter was also signed by Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced the creation of USAISI last November as part of ongoing efforts to ensure our nation’s global leadership in setting standards for AI innovation and use. If included, NIST would use the funding to enhance the USAISI team with experts in red teaming and capability evaluation, support the formation of a Joint Research Center for advancing AI system evaluation techniques and safety research, and support the USAISI Consortium that will play a crucial role in integrating these advancements into industry and society.

“The rapid advancement of AI innovation has brought forth immense possibilities and opportunities. However, with these advancements come potential challenges and risks that must be addressed in a safe manner. The USAISI aims to provide a dedicated platform for research, collaboration, and implementation of safety measures in AI development. This is not only a matter of technical necessity, but also a strategic imperative to ensure that AI technologies are developed in a manner that reflects our shared democratic values and supports American industry,” the senators wrote.

Sen. Cantwell was instrumental in creating the National AI Advisory Committee (NAIAC), as part of the FUTURE of AI Act, which consists of AI experts across academia, non-profits, civil society and the private sector to provide advice and information on research, development and implementation of AI technology.

The full letter is available here and below:

Dear Chair Shaheen and Ranking Member Moran:

As you consider the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, and any other relevant funding opportunities, we urge you to include $10 million for the establishment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (USAISI).

USAISI was announced at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit in the United Kingdom last month. The summit resulted in 28 countries and the European Union supporting the “Bletchley Declaration” to collectively boost global AI safety efforts. The USAISI represents a pivotal and cost-effective strategy for the U.S. to maintain its leadership in AI innovation and underscore our dedication to collaborating with nations globally, ensuring the responsible and safe development of this groundbreaking technology.

The rapid advancement of AI innovation has brought forth immense possibilities and opportunities. However, with these advancements come potential challenges and risks that must be addressed in a safe manner. The USAISI aims to provide a dedicated platform for research, collaboration, and implementation of safety measures in AI development. This is not only a matter of technical necessity, but also a strategic imperative to ensure that AI technologies are developed in a manner that reflects our shared democratic values and supports American industry. The USAISI will rely heavily upon interdisciplinary collaboration and bring together a wide variety of experts and stakeholders from the private and public sectors.

By fostering an environment of collaboration, the institute will facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge, leading to more comprehensive and effective innovation and safety policies. Public education and awareness about AI will also be imperative to the successful development of the technology in the U.S. and across the world. The USAISI can play a pivotal role in this educational endeavor by helping to demystify AI and promoting a more nuanced understanding of its potential.

The USAISI would be established as a NIST-led Joint Institute and leverage widely-supported work already underway within NIST. If funded at $10 million for FY 2024, it is our understanding that NIST would use this initial funding to bring on additional staff, accelerate its work on testing environments, fund joint research partnerships, and support the coordination of private sector engagement in USAISI’s work. Specifically, NIST will use the funding to enhance its team with experts in red teaming and capability evaluation, support the formation of a Joint Research Center for advancing AI system evaluation techniques and safety research, and support the USAISI Consortium that will play a crucial role in integrating these advancements into industry and society.

We respectfully urge you to include $10 million for FY 2024 for the USAISI to support safe U.S. development of AI and effective international standards coordination.  Thank you for your attention to this matter.