Executive Order FAQs

NIST contributes to the research, standards and data required to realize the full promise of AI as a tool that will enable American innovation, enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. Much of our work focuses on cultivating trust in the design, development, use and governance of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and systems. We are doing this by:·  

• Conducting fundamental research to advance trustworthy AI technologies and understand and measure their capabilities and limitations.
• Applying AI research and innovation across NIST laboratory programs.
• Establishing benchmarks and developing data and metrics to evaluate AI technologies.
• Leading and participating in the development of technical AI standards.
• Contributing to discussions and development of AI policies, including supporting the National AI Advisory Committee.
• Hosting the NIST Trustworthy & Responsible AI Resource Center providing access to a wide range of relevant AI resources.

The NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0) produced in January 2023 in close cooperation with the private and public sectors and the companion AI RMF Playbook offer voluntary guidance that will be relied on by NIST in carrying out its responsibilities under the EO.

NIST’s AI website provides more information about the agency’s AI-related roles, responsibilities, and activities.

NIST relies heavily on its engagement with the private and public sectors in developing its AI-related guidance and will continue to follow that practice in carrying out these EO assignments. That will include webinars, requests for information (RFI), draft documents for public comment, online community communications tools, and direct engagements with representatives across the spectrum of AI actors from designers and developers to users, evaluators, and civil society. NIST will use its general AI email list to distribute information about specific opportunities to engage: Sign up for AI email alerts here.

The EO specifically directs NIST to work with other agencies – and vice versa – in carrying out assignments. That is standard operating procedure for NIST in much of its AI-related work, just as the agency works closely with the private sector.

No. It’s NIST’s job to develop those guidelines – working with the private and public sectors – which it then offers to others on a voluntary basis.