AP sources: Staff at U.S. center for AI safety are reporting to the White House, raising independence concerns

Staff at the US government’s AI safety centre have been asked to report informally to a White House office, raising concerns about its independence. Critics fear political or industry pressure could influence safety assessments, while others say closer White House ties might give the centre greater visibility and funding.

The Commerce Department division, now called the Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence, has no permanent leader and has stopped publishing research on AI systems. It receives $10 million a year, about one-eighth of the UK counterpart’s budget; Congress has questioned the pause in public reports, and OpenAI has called for more support.