The National Institute of Standards and Technology may hearth as many as 500 staffers, in line with a number of stories — cuts that additional threaten a fledgling AI security group.
Axios reported this week that the US AI Safety Institute (AISI) and Chips for America, each a part of NIST, could be “gutted” by layoffs concentrating on probationary workers (who’re sometimes of their first 12 months or two on the job). And Bloomberg mentioned a few of these workers had already been given verbal discover of upcoming terminations.
Even earlier than the newest layoff stories, AISI’s future was wanting unsure. The institute, which is meant to check dangers and develop requirements round AI growth, was created final 12 months as a part of then-President Joe Biden’s government order on AI security. President Donald Trump repealed that order on his first day again in workplace, and AISI’s director departed earlier in February.
Fortune spoke to various AI security and coverage organizations who all criticized the reported layoffs.
“These cuts, if confirmed, would severely impact the government’s capacity to research and address critical AI safety concerns at a time when such expertise is more vital than ever,” mentioned Jason Green-Lowe, government director of the Center for AI Policy.
