The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced a new partnership with The MITRE Corporation to establish two artificial intelligence–focused research centers under a $20 million initiative. The effort will explore advanced AI applications, with a strong emphasis on how emerging technologies could reshape cybersecurity for U.S. critical infrastructure.
According to NIST, one of the new centers will concentrate on advanced manufacturing, while the other — the AI Economic Security Center to Secure U.S. Critical Infrastructure from Cyberthreats — will directly address the protection of essential services such as water, power, internet and other foundational systems against AI-driven cyber risks. The centers are expected to accelerate the creation and deployment of AI-enabled tools, including agentic AI technologies.
“The centers will develop the technology evaluations and advancements that are necessary to effectively protect U.S. dominance in AI innovation, address threats from adversaries’ use of AI, and reduce risks from reliance on insecure AI,” spokesperson Jennifer Huergo wrote in an agency release.
These initiatives are part of a broader federal strategy to establish AI research hubs at NIST, some of which were launched prior to the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the White House revamped the AI Safety Institute, renaming it the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, reflecting a wider policy shift toward global competitiveness — particularly with China — rather than a narrow focus on AI safety. Looking ahead, NIST plans to fund another major effort: a five-year, $70 million AI for Resilient Manufacturing Institute designed to strengthen manufacturing and supply chain resilience through AI integration.
Federal officials and industry leaders believe increased government backing for AI research will help drive innovation across U.S. industries. Huergo noted that NIST “expects the AI centers to enable breakthroughs in applied science and advanced technology.”
Acting NIST Director Craig Burkhardt added that the centers will jointly “focus on enhancing the ability of U.S. companies to make high-value products more efficiently, meet market demands domestically and internationally, and catalyze discovery and commercialization of new technologies and devices.”
When asked about MITRE’s role, Brian Abe, managing director of MITRE’s national cybersecurity division, said the organization is committing its full resources to the initiative, with the aim of delivering measurable improvements to U.S. manufacturing and critical infrastructure cybersecurity within three years.
“We will also leverage the full range of MITRE’s lab capabilities such as our Federal AI Sandbox,” said Abe. “More importantly, we will not be doing this alone. These centers will be a true collaboration between NIST and MITRE as well as our industry partners.”
Support for the initiative has been widespread among experts, many of whom emphasize the importance of collaboration between government and private industry in securing AI systems tied to national infrastructure. Over the past decade, sectors such as energy and manufacturing have faced growing threats from ransomware, foreign cyber operations and other digital attacks. The rapid advancement of large language models could further strain already under-resourced IT and security teams.
Randy Dougherty, CIO of Trellix, said the initiative targets some of the most critical risks facing AI adoption today. By prioritizing infrastructure security, he noted, “NIST is tackling the ‘high-stakes’ end of the AI spectrum where accuracy and reliability are non-negotiable.”
Industry voices also stressed that the success of the centers will depend on active participation from the sectors they aim to protect. Gary Barlet, public sector chief technology officer at Illumio, highlighted water and power systems as top priorities, emphasizing the need to secure their IT, operational technology and supply chains.
Barlet cautioned that meaningful progress will require direct involvement from infrastructure operators themselves. Without their engagement, he said, translating research into practical, deployable solutions will be difficult — and accountability will ultimately fall on those managing essential services.
“Too often, these centers are built by technologists for technologists, while the people who actually run our power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure are left out of the conversation,” Barlet said.
