Executive Summary

In a significant move to bolster U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence, the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced a $20 million investment to create two new national AI centers. The centers will be operated by the MITRE Corporation and will focus on two key national priorities: enhancing the productivity of U.S. manufacturing and securing critical infrastructure from sophisticated cyberthreats. This partnership aims to develop the evaluations, tools, and guidance necessary to foster secure AI innovation and defend against its malicious use by adversaries.

Regulatory Details

The initiative, announced in late December 2025, establishes two distinct entities:

1. AI Economic Security Center for U.S. Manufacturing Productivity: This center will focus on applying AI to improve the competitiveness and resilience of the American manufacturing sector.
2. AI Economic Security Center to Secure U.S. Critical Infrastructure from Cyberthreats: This center will research and develop strategies to protect essential services like water, electricity, and internet access from AI-powered cyberattacks.

This $20 million investment is a component of NIST's broader Strategy for American Technology Leadership and directly supports the White House's America's AI Action Plan. The collaboration builds upon MITRE's role as the operator of the National Cybersecurity Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC).

Affected Organizations

The primary organizations involved are NIST, which is providing the funding and strategic direction, and MITRE, which will operate the centers. The work of these centers will directly affect a wide range of public and private sector organizations, including:

• U.S. manufacturing companies of all sizes.
• Operators of critical infrastructure in the energy, water, and telecommunications sectors.
• Government agencies responsible for national and economic security.
• The broader cybersecurity and AI research communities.

Compliance and Implementation

While not a direct regulation, the outputs of these centers—such as frameworks, best practices, and technology evaluations—will heavily influence future standards and compliance requirements for organizations using AI or operating in critical sectors. The centers will bring together experts from government, industry, and academia to:

• Study the impact of AI on cybersecurity for essential services.
• Develop methods to test and evaluate the security of AI systems.
• Create guidance for securely developing and deploying AI.
• Leverage MITRE's existing tools and platforms, such as the ATT&CK framework, CALDERA, and ATLAS, to model and defend against AI-related threats.

Impact Assessment

This investment represents a proactive, strategic effort by the U.S. government to get ahead of the dual-use nature of artificial intelligence.

• Economic Impact: By fostering AI adoption in manufacturing, the initiative aims to drive a "manufacturing renaissance," increasing efficiency and creating high-tech jobs.
• National Security Impact: The focus on securing critical infrastructure acknowledges the growing threat of nation-state actors using AI to develop more potent cyberweapons. The research will be vital in developing next-generation defenses for the power grid, water systems, and communication networks.
• Technology Leadership: The partnership is designed to ensure the U.S. maintains its innovative edge in AI while also establishing the guardrails necessary to manage its risks, preventing insecure AI systems from being widely deployed.