National AI Initiative Act (2020)
National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (Pub. L. 116-283, Div. E)
United States · Pub. L. No. 116-283, Div. E, 134 Stat. 4523 (Jan. 1, 2021); 15 U.S.C. §§ 9401-9462
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- January 1, 2021
- Applies to
- Federal R&D agencies (NSF, NIST, DARPA, DOE, NIH, etc.)
- Enforced by
- OSTP National AI Initiative Office
Enacted as Division E of the FY21 NDAA (signed by Congressional override Jan. 1, 2021), the National AI Initiative Act codified a coordinated federal AI R&D strategy. It created the National AI Initiative Office (NAIIO) inside OSTP, established AI Research Institutes via NSF, and directed NIST to develop AI risk-management standards — the statutory authority behind NIST AI RMF 1.0.
Who is protected: Federal AI R&D ecosystem + public via NIST AI RMF
Legal detail
Pub. L. No. 116-283, Div. E, 134 Stat. 4523 (Jan. 1, 2021); codified at 15 U.S.C. ch. 119 — (1) established the National AI Initiative Office within OSTP, (2) created the National AI Advisory Committee, (3) directed NSF to establish National AI Research Institutes, (4) directed NIST to develop a voluntary AI risk-management framework (became NIST AI RMF 1.0, Jan. 2023), (5) established AI workforce, K-12, and public-private partnership programs. Enacted via congressional override of the Trump veto on Jan. 1, 2021.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | United States |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | January 1, 2021 |
| Citation | Pub. L. No. 116-283, Div. E, 134 Stat. 4523 (Jan. 1, 2021); 15 U.S.C. §§ 9401-9462 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | government use of AI |
| Statute | 15 U.S.C. Chapter 119 — National Artificial Intelligence Initiative |
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