Among the Trump administration’s designs to dismantle much of the federal government is a reported decision to fire all probationary employees at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), including experts working on the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act. Such a move would conflict with the president’s aspiration to “solidify our position as the global leader in AI.” China’s AI advancements and the EU’s AI investments threaten the U.S.’s lead in AI development and diffusion. Soon-to-be former NIST staff played a big role in building that initial lead. Their departure may hinder the nation’s ability to identify and seize the next opportunities to accelerate AI’s progress.
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