The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) may be reducing its workforce by up to 500 employees, as indicated by various reports. These layoffs could potentially undermine a relatively new AI safety organization.
Axios recently reported that both the US AI Safety Institute (AISI) and the Chips for America program, which are part of NIST, are set to face significant staff reductions. These cuts mainly target probationary employees, who are often in their initial year or two of employment. Bloomberg also noted that some of these employees have already been verbally informed about the impending terminations.
Prior to these reports of layoffs, the future of AISI was already uncertain. The institute was established to examine risks and develop standards related to AI development. It was created last year following then-President Joe Biden’s executive order on AI safety. However, this order was repealed by President Donald Trump on his first day back in office. Furthermore, the director of AISI left their position in early February.
Several AI safety and policy organizations, as reported by Fortune, have voiced their criticisms of the potential layoffs. Jason Green-Lowe, the executive director of the Center for AI Policy, stated that if these cuts are confirmed, they would significantly hinder the government’s ability to research and address vital AI safety concerns, which is increasingly important at this time.
