The Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced new agreements with Google DeepMind, Microsoft, and xAI to expand government-led evaluations of frontier artificial intelligence systems.
The collaborations will enable CAISI to conduct pre-deployment testing, post-deployment assessments, and targeted research aimed at improving understanding of advanced AI capabilities and strengthening AI security.
The agreements build on earlier partnerships that were renegotiated to align with directives from Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and America’s AI Action Plan.
Under Lutnick’s direction, CAISI has been designated as the federal government’s primary industry contact for AI testing, collaborative research, and best-practice development related to commercial AI systems. According to the agency, it has already completed more than 40 evaluations of frontier AI models, including assessments of unreleased state-of-the-art systems.
“Independent, rigorous measurement science is essential to understanding frontier AI and its national security implications,” said CAISI Director Chris Fall. “These expanded industry collaborations help us scale our work in the public interest at a critical moment.”
The agreements also support information-sharing, classified-environment testing, and interagency collaboration through the CAISI-convened TRAINS Taskforce, a government group focused on AI national security concerns.