The U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, part of the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has recently launched the Testing Risks of AI for National Security (TRAINS) Taskforce.

This initiative unites partners across the U.S. government to identify, assess, and address the national security and public safety challenges posed by rapidly advancing AI technologies.

The TRAINS Taskforce will facilitate collaborative research and testing of advanced AI models in key national security and public safety areas, including radiological and nuclear security, chemical and biological security, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection, and conventional military capabilities.

The announcement coincides with the United States hosting the inaugural gathering of the International Network of AI Safety Institutes in San Francisco.

“Enabling safe, secure, and trustworthy AI innovation is not just an economic priority – it’s a public safety and national security imperative. Every corner of the country is impacted by the rapid progress in AI, which is why establishing the TRAINS Taskforce is such an important step to unite our federal resources and ensure we’re pulling every lever to address the challenges of this generation-defining technology,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said.

The TRAINS Taskforce, led by the U.S. AI Safety Institute, includes key federal agencies such as the Department of Defense (CDAO, NSA), Department of Energy (10 National Labs), DHS (CISA), and NIH at Health and Human Services.