U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is investing $20 million in an expanded collaboration with MITRE to stand up two new AI-focused centers. One center targets U.S. manufacturing productivity, and the other focuses on securing U.S. critical infrastructure from cyberthreats. The initiative is framed as part of a broader push to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI by moving practical AI solutions from “research” into real-world adoption, in partnership with industry.

In practical terms, the centers are intended to develop and evaluate AI-driven tools—often described as AI “agents”—that can help manufacturers improve efficiency and output, while also helping operators of essential services detect and respond to cyberattacks faster. The coverage emphasizes two risk areas the program wants to address at the same time: (1) threats from adversaries using AI to increase attack scale and sophistication, and (2) risks created when organizations deploy insecure or untested AI in high-impact environments.

Source: https://industrialcyber.co/ai/nist-mitre-invest-20-million-in-ai-centers-to-counter-cyberthreats-boost-us-manufacturing-competitiveness/