Trump Administration Removes ‘Safety’ from AI Safety Institute Name

The Trump administration has announced plans to reform the artificial intelligence (AI) safety institute established during Biden’s presidency, renaming it and modifying its focus. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick revealed that the U.S. AI Safety Institute will be transformed into the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI). This shift reflects the administration’s belief that stringent oversight could hinder the United States’ competitive edge in the AI sector.

In his statement, Lutnick emphasized that excessive censorship and regulations have previously stifled innovation. He assured that CAISI would prioritize enhancing U.S. innovation in commercial AI while maintaining national security standards. The original U.S. AI Safety Institute was tasked with assessing AI models and establishing safety and security protocols.

It also led to the formation of a consortium focusing on AI safety, comprised of over 200 members, including leading tech companies like OpenAI and Meta. The changes made by the Trump administration suggest a commitment to a pro-innovation strategy, moving away from the previous focus on safety. The new center will also address security vulnerabilities related to foreign AI systems and avoid unnecessary regulations imposed by other nations.

This comes amid growing concerns about international competition in AI technology, particularly following the release of the Chinese AI app DeepSeek, which sparked national security alarms. Rumors of the transformation have circulated for some time, with reports indicating that key staff from the U.S. AI Safety Institute were excluded from a recent AI summit in Paris. In his remarks at the summit, Vice President JD Vance echoed the administration’s vision, advocating for regulatory frameworks that promote the development of AI rather than hinder it.

In his first week back in office, Trump proposed the $500 billion Stargate initiative, collaborating with major tech players to position the U.S. as a leader in AI. Additionally, he signed an executive order aimed at reducing barriers to AI innovation, effectively nullifying Biden’s previous safety-centered executive order.