On November 21, 2024, the National Institute of Standards and Technology announced the formation of the Testing Risks of AI for National Security Taskforce (TRAINS). This initiative aims to evaluate the security implications of artificial intelligence models with participation from various federal agencies.
TRAINS includes experts from the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Institutes of Health. Their focus will be on assessing AI models related to national security, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo emphasized the importance of safe and trustworthy AI, stating, "Enabling safe, secure and trustworthy AI innovation is not just an economic priority -- it's a public safety and national security imperative." This taskforce is part of efforts to centralize AI expertise across government and ensure responsible AI use.
The establishment of TRAINS comes amid uncertainty regarding the future of AI policy under the incoming Trump administration, which seeks to repeal the previous administration's AI executive order.