NIST Lays Out Roadmap for Developing Artificial Intelligence Standards

Federal standards for artificial intelligence must be strict enough to prevent the tech from harming humans, yet flexible enough to encourage innovation and get the tech industry on board, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. However, without better standards for measuring the performance and trustworthiness of AI tools, officials said, the government could have a tough time striking that balance. On Monday, NIST released its much-anticipated guidance on how the government should approach developing technical and ethical standards for artificial intelligence. Though it doesn't include any specific regulations or policies, the plan outlines multiple initiatives that would help the government promote the responsible use of AI and lists a number of high-level principles that should inform any future standards for the tech. The strategy also stresses the need to develop technologies that would help agencies better study and assess the quality of AI-powered systems.