NIST AI News & Updates
US AI Safety Institute Faces Potential Layoffs and Uncertain Future
Reports indicate the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) may terminate up to 500 employees, significantly impacting the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI). The institute, created under Biden's executive order on AI safety which Trump recently repealed, was already facing uncertainty after its director departed earlier in February.
Skynet Chance (+0.1%): The gutting of a federal AI safety institute substantially increases Skynet risk by removing critical government oversight and expertise dedicated to researching and mitigating catastrophic AI risks at precisely the time when advanced AI development is accelerating.
Skynet Date (-3 days): The elimination of safety guardrails and regulatory mechanisms significantly accelerates the timeline for potential AI risk scenarios by creating a more permissive environment for rapid, potentially unsafe AI development with minimal government supervision.
AGI Progress (+0.04%): Reduced government oversight will likely allow AI developers to pursue more aggressive capability advancements with fewer regulatory hurdles or safety requirements, potentially accelerating technical progress toward AGI.
AGI Date (-3 days): The dismantling of safety-focused institutions will likely encourage AI labs to pursue riskier, faster development trajectories without regulatory barriers, potentially bringing AGI timelines significantly closer.