Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft, and Elon Musk’s xAI agreed to provide the U.S. government early access to new artificial intelligence models. The collaboration involves the Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI), part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
The program facilitates pre-deployment testing to assess the capabilities and risks of frontier AI before public release. This initiative expands on existing partnerships that already include OpenAI and Anthropic.
CAISI has already conducted over 40 evaluations of various AI systems, including models that remain unreleased. These agreements support the federal government’s broader strategy for AI oversight and national security vetting.