Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick announced reforms to the U.S. AI Safety Institute (USAISI), which will now be known as the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI). CAISI will lead collaboration between the federal government and industry to drive innovation in AI, while supporting safety and national security. Like USAISI, CAISI will operate within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Coverage of this development can be found in Nextgov. The Business Software Alliance (BSA) welcomed the news, noting that, “CAISI can create needed clarity and consistency in the United States’ approach to Al testing, and help to ensure that innovators have the tools they need to develop Al and harness its benefits.”
Thank you for reading. Below we’ve rounded up additional tech policy news and a featured podcast.
This Week in Washington
- Reuters: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Senators that the Trump Administration is renegotiating Biden-era grants to semiconductor firms. The grants were initially funded through the CHIPS and Science Act. Lutnick also stated that the administration agrees with the goal of having more than 50% of global AI computing capacity in the U.S.
- Axios and NBC Connecticut: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched an agency-wide AI tool to streamline scientific evaluations and reviews of clinical protocols. The agency also approved a separate AI platform that helps predict breast cancer risk, marking a first FDA-approved AI platform.
- Nextgov: Republican Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) spoke in favor of public investment in AI research. The pair advocated for continued federal investment in artificial intelligence research and development, along with nimble regulation and industry collaboration to fully harness AI’s potential and scientific discovery.
- The Robot Report: A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives relaunched the Congressional Robotics Caucus. The caucus will educate lawmakers on “responsible, ethical, and robust deployment of robotics,” as well as the potential of robotics when paired with artificial intelligence.
- CyberScoop: Sean Cairncross emphasized his user-side experience of cyberattacks in his nomination hearing to be National Cyber Director. He committed to working with Congress on Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Act reauthorization.
Article Summary
- StateScoop: State broadband leaders have slowed their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) programs in response to a proposed—but not yet released—revamp from the federal government.
- Michigan Live: Engineering has begun on two new broadband fiber cables under Lake Michigan. The federally-funded project will help develop data centers and connect Michigan to Chicago-based quantum computing.
- The New York Times: High-end chefs across the country are turning to AI for inspiration. The chefs use AI as sounding boards and research partners.
- Wall Street Journal: AI startup Netic is launching a platform for home service workers. Netic will help electricians and plumbers prioritize and communicate with clients.
Featured Podcast
- Bloomberg Technology
Co-hosts Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow touch on AI developments, including Meta’s plan to buy nuclear power and xAI’s sale of $5 billion in debt. Former Tesla executive Drew Baglino also joins to discuss his new transformer startup.(Meta Turns to Nuclear Power to Run AI – June 5, 2025)