U.S. CAISSI Faces Leadership Instability and White House Influence Amid Budget Disparity with UK Counterpart
The Commerce Department's Center for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence (CAISSI), an ostensibly independent federal AI evaluator, is experiencing significant operational challenges. According to former government officials cited by the Associated Press, CAISSI staff have recently been asked to informally report to an office within the White House. The center currently lacks a permanent leader, with a director hired in April being fired within days, and a subsequent replacement resigning months later. The head of the parent institute is now serving as acting director. Furthermore, CAISSI ceased publishing its public AI safety research by August, prompting inquiries from Congress. The center operates on an annual budget of approximately $10 million, which is roughly one-eighth of the estimated $80 million budget allocated to its UK counterpart for AI safety initiatives.
