Executive Summary

The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has published a preliminary draft of a "Cybersecurity Framework Profile for Artificial Intelligence." This document provides tailored guidance for organizations to manage the unique cybersecurity risks posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. Released on January 6, 2026, the profile is designed to complement the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 and the AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF). It offers specific outcomes and subcategories to help organizations secure AI systems during development and deployment, defend against AI-enabled attacks, and respond to incidents involving AI. NIST is soliciting feedback from the public to refine the guidance before its final publication.

Regulatory Details

The draft Cyber AI Profile is not a new regulation but voluntary guidance intended to be a practical tool for risk management. It extends the principles of the CSF to the specific context of AI. The profile is organized into three primary focus areas, which diverge slightly from the standard CSF functions to address AI-specific challenges:

• Secure: This section focuses on the secure integration of AI systems into an organization's environment. It includes guidance on managing AI system identities, controlling AI agent permissions, and preventing AI models from executing arbitrary code.
• Defend/Thwart: This area addresses both defending the AI system itself from attacks (e.g., model poisoning, evasion attacks) and defending the organization from attacks that are enabled or enhanced by AI.
• Respond: This provides guidance for incident response plans that specifically account for AI systems, such as how to contain a compromised AI model or respond to an AI-generated disinformation campaign.

Affected Organizations

The guidance is intended for a broad audience, including any organization that develops, deploys, or uses AI systems. This spans nearly every industry, from technology and finance to healthcare and manufacturing. It is designed to be adaptable for organizations at all levels of cybersecurity and AI maturity.

Compliance Requirements

As the profile is a voluntary framework, there are no direct compliance requirements. However, its adoption is likely to become a de facto standard for demonstrating due care in securing AI systems. Organizations may be expected by regulators, partners, and customers to align their AI security programs with the NIST Cyber AI Profile. Key activities organizations will need to undertake include:

• Mapping their existing cybersecurity controls to the new AI-specific subcategories.
• Identifying gaps in their ability to manage risks like model evasion, data poisoning, and malicious use of AI.
• Updating incident response plans to include scenarios involving compromised or malfunctioning AI systems.

Implementation Timeline

• January 6, 2026: Preliminary draft released for public comment.
• January 14, 2026: NIST to host a virtual workshop to discuss the draft.
• January 30, 2026: Deadline for public comments on the preliminary draft.
• TBD 2026: Publication of the final version of the Cyber AI Profile.

Impact Assessment

The release of this profile signals a formalization of AI security as a distinct and critical discipline within cybersecurity. For businesses, it provides a much-needed structure for conversations about AI risk. It will drive investment in new security tools and expertise focused on AI model security, data integrity, and threat detection for AI systems. It will also likely influence future regulations and contractual requirements related to AI, making early adoption a competitive advantage.

Compliance Guidance

Organizations working with AI should take the following steps:

1. Review the Draft: The AI and cybersecurity teams should collaboratively review the preliminary draft to understand its structure and recommendations.
2. Provide Feedback: Participate in the public comment process by submitting feedback to NIST before the January 30 deadline. This is an opportunity to help shape the final guidance.
3. Perform a Gap Analysis: Use the draft profile to conduct an initial gap analysis of your current AI security posture against NIST's proposed outcomes.
4. Integrate with Existing Frameworks: Begin planning how to integrate the Cyber AI Profile into your existing risk management programs alongside the CSF and AI RMF.