In a bid to support US leadership in AI, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is investing $20m in a major AI security project.
This investment will be used to new research and development centers – the AI Economic Security Center for US Manufacturing Productivity, and the AI Economic Security Center to Secure US Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats.
These two entities, both run by US nonprofit MITRE, will develop the technology evaluations and advancements that are “necessary to effectively protect US dominance in AI innovation, address threats from adversaries’ use of AI and reduce risks from reliance on insecure AI,” NIST said in a public statement published on December 22.
The institute expects these centers to enable breakthroughs in applied science and advanced technology and deliver disruptive innovative solutions to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the nation.
US Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Paul Dabbar, said this investment will “help drive the American manufacturing renaissance” by increasing the competitiveness of US manufacturers and attracting investment in the country.
Craig Burkhardt, the Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Acting NIST Director, also commented on this new NIST-MITRE cooperation: “This new agreement with MITRE will focus on enhancing the ability of US companies to make high-value products more efficiently, meet market demands domestically and internationally and catalyze discovery and commercialization of new technologies and devices.”
The investment is part of NIST’s Strategy for American Technology Leadership in the 21st Century to accelerate the progress of critical and emerging technologies from development to adoption and aligns with recommendations in the White House’s July 2025 America’s AI Action Plan, including Pillar I: Accelerate AI Innovation and Pillar II: Build American AI Infrastructure.
The two centers will complete a range of AI and security-focused projects spearheaded by NIST, which include the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), formerly known as the US AI Safety Institute.
Additionally, NIST will soon announce a $70m AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute under the Manufacturing USA program, pairing federal funds with private investment to strengthen AI-driven supply chains and manufacturing resilience.
Read now: Elevating SaaS Security with NIST CSF and Agentic AI