WASHINGTON D.C.: The Biden administration says it has begun drafting key standards and guidance for the safe deployment of generative artificial intelligence (AI), and ways of testing and safeguarding systems.

The Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) said it was seeking public input by February 2 on conducting key testing to ensure the safety of AI systems.

The drafting of the standards is the outcome of President Joe Biden’s October executive order on AI, which aims to implement “industry standards around AI safety, security, and trust that will enable America to continue leading the world in the responsible development and use of this rapidly evolving technology,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.

The NIST is drafting guidelines for evaluating AI, facilitating the adoption of standards and creating testing environments for evaluating AI systems, with input from AI companies and the public on generative AI risk management and reducing risks of AI-generated misinformation.

As well as generating excitement, in recent months, Generative AI, which can create text, photos and videos in response to open-ended prompts, has caused concerns that it could make certain professions obsolete, affect elections, and potentially over-run humans and have catastrophic effects.

Under Biden’s order, agencies must set standards for testing and addressing related chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks.