The US Standards and Technology Group is seeking public comment on AI safety and development guidelines

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the U.S. Department of Commerce has issued a request for information to support activities outlined in the new presidential executive order regarding the safe and responsible development and use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The organization has announced that it will invite public comments until February 2, 2024 to collect feedback necessary to conduct investigations to ensure the safety of AI systems.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the initiative stems from President Joe Biden's October executive order ordering NIST to create guidelines, including convening a review and red team, developing consensus-based standards, and establishing test environments for AI system evaluation. This framework aims to support the AI ​​community in developing safe, secure and responsible AI.

NIST's request for information seeks input from AI companies and the public on generative AI risk management and mitigating the risks of AI-generated misinformation.

Generative AI, which can generate text, photos and videos based on open-ended questions, has generated excitement and concern. There are concerns about job displacement, disruption of elections, and the dire consequences of the technology becoming beyond human control.

NIST's request seeks details on determining the most effective “red-team” areas in AI risk assessment and establishing best practices. The so-called red team is a Cold War simulation exercise that refers to a method in which a group of individuals simulates possible counter-situations or attacks to assess the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of a system, process or organization. The method has long been used in cyber security to find new threats.

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In August, the first US Public Assessment Red Team event took place at the Cyber ​​Security Conference, co-sponsored by iVillage, SDI and Human Intelligence.

In November, NIST announced the formation of the new AI Consortium along with an announcement detailing the office's requirements for applicants with relevant credentials. It aims to create and implement specific policies and measures to encourage US lawmakers to adopt a human-centered approach to AI security and governance.

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