The U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under the U.S. Department of Commerce, has announced the creation of a new taskforce aimed at addressing national security concerns related to AI technology. The Testing Risks of AI for National Security (TRAINS) Taskforce will bring together various government agencies to focus on identifying, measuring, and managing potential risks posed by advanced AI models.
The taskforce will coordinate research and testing efforts across several key areas including radiological and nuclear security, chemical and biological security, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and conventional military capabilities. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to maintain American leadership in AI development while preventing misuse by adversaries that could threaten national security.
Chaired by the U.S. AI Safety Institute, the TRAINS Taskforce includes representatives from several federal entities such as the Department of Energy with its ten National Laboratories—Argonne, Pacific Northwest, Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, Oak Ridge, Brookhaven, Savannah River, Lawrence Berkeley, Idaho, and Los Alamos—and other agencies like the Department of Defense's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), the National Security Agency (NSA), the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
These members will contribute their expertise to develop new methods for evaluating AI technologies and conducting risk assessments. “Enabling safe, secure, and trustworthy AI innovation is not just an economic priority – it's a public safety and national security imperative,” stated U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. She emphasized that "establishing the TRAINS Taskforce is such an important step to unite our federal resources."
This initiative aligns with directives from a recent National Security Memorandum on AI. As its work progresses, it is anticipated that more federal agencies will join the TRAINS Taskforce.
