Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) keeps firing AI researchers — and it’s making the tech industry increasingly nervous about the American AI talent pipeline.
On March 3, the long-rumored cuts to staff at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finally landed. Multiple sources reported that 73 probationary workers were fired, many who worked on the CHIPS for America initiativeis as expected. The CHIPS Act aims at increasing chip development in the US.
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These firings follow similar cuts at the National Science Foundation where 170 AI-related employees were let go. NSF has reinstated all 84 of these staffers .
Last Week, advocates and tech leaders reacted to the firings by an Open letter from Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. The letter noted that NIST’s AI focus was initiated during Trump’s first term, and urged the Administration to consider the effects of DOGE’s rapid cutbacks. The letter states
“We emphasize that NIST’s work represents a high-value investment that directly contributes to US economic growth,
competitiveness, and technological leadership,” . “We caution that downsizing NIST or eliminating
these initiatives will have ramifications for the ability of the American AI industry to continue to lead globally.”
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Co-signers of the letter — including the Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARIA), the Center for AI Policy (CIP), the Internet Infrastructure Coalition and TechNet — offer their expertise in filling the AI policy vacuum left by the Trump administration. They said
“Stakeholders across industry, academia, and civil society stand ready to work with you in shaping this vision, ensuring that the US remains at the forefront of technology advancements while maintaining safeguards against emerging threats,” . It is noteworthy that the letter emphasizes the need for “safeguards” . The Trump administration has prioritized AI safety and responsibility in several areas, all for the sake of faster innovation. On Friday, Wired reported NIST had released new guidelines for scientists who partner with the US AI Safety Institute – the fate of which remains unclear – which now do not mention “AI safety,” “responsible AI,” or “AI fairness.”
instead, the instructions emphasize “reducing ideological bias,” a phrase which also appeared in Trump’s executive orders reverses Biden-era AI policy that focused on reducing AI discrimination, bias, and other harms. The order specifically called for AI systems to be “free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas.” Terms such as “safety,” “consumer,” “data,” or “privacy” are not included at all.
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Jason Corso a robotics professor at the University of Michigan notes that NIST’s new directive. “By complete contrast, it undermines it by eroding the public trust essential for widespread AI adoption. The history of technological advancement shows repeatedly that safety and progress are not competing forces but complementary ones.”
