US AI Safety Institute could face big cuts
According to several reports, the National Institute of Standards and Technology could dismiss no fewer than 500 employees – cutbacks that further threaten a young AI safety organization.
Axios reported this week That the US AI Safety Institute (AISI) and chips for America, both part of Nist, would be “stripped” by fired that focus on probation staff (which are usually at work in their first year or two). And Said Bloomberg Some of those employees had already received an oral notification of upcoming terminations.
Even before the last dismissal reports, the future of AISI looked uncertain. The institute, which is supposed to study risks and to develop standards around AI development, was established last year as part of the Executive Order of the then President Joe Biden on AI Safety. President Donald Trump withdrew that order on his first day, and the director of AISI left earlier in February.
Fortune spoke with a number of AI safety and policy organizations All of whom criticized the reported dismissals.
“If confirmed, these cuts would seriously influence the capacity of the government to investigate and tackle critical AI security problems at a time when such expertise is of vital importance than ever,” said Jason Green-Lowe, executive director of The Center for AI policy.
