The US Department of Commerce announced new AI safety and security guidelines, 270 days after President Joe Biden's executive order on the "Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development of AI."

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a division of the Commerce Department, has published three final guidance documents and released a draft guidance document from the US AI Safety Institute. The guidelines include various aspects of AI technology, such as a testing platform for measuring the impact of certain attacks on AI systems, guidance documents to help manage GenAI risks, and a plan for US stakeholders to collaborate globally on AI standards. 

The US AI Safety Institute's initial public draft aims to help AI developers assess and mitigate risks associated with GenAI and dual-use foundation models.

Analyst QuickTake: The news comes in the wake of the EU Parliament providing its final approval for the AI Act in May 2024 . While the US lags behind the EU on comprehensive GenAI legislation, the guidance documents published by NIST provide an important stepping stone for this.