New CNAS Report Creates Framework for “On-Chip Governance” for AI

Washington, January 8, 2024—Today, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), in collaboration with the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy, released a new report, Secure, Governable Chips: Using On-Chip Mechanisms to Manage National Security Risks from AI & Advanced Computing, by Onni Aarne, Tim Fist, and Caleb Withers.

The report introduces the concept of “on-chip governance,” detailing how security features on AI chips could help mitigate national security risks from the development of broadly capable dual-use AI systems while protecting user privacy. The report further offers a set of recommendations for U.S. policymakers:

• The White House should establish a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) led interagency group via executive order to coordinate on-chip governance policy.
• The Commerce Department should create commercial incentives for chip firms to improve AI chip security using advance market commitments.
• NIST should coordinate with government funding bodies to scope, fund, and support crucial AI chip security R&D in academic and private labs.
• The Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security should establish an AI chip red-teaming program and flexible export licensing policies to support a staged rollout of on-chip governance mechanisms.
• The Departments of State and Commerce should coordinate with key allies in the AI hardware supply chain to develop shared policies and standards for on-chip governance.
• Leading chip firms should move early to build and harden the additional security features required for robust on-chip governance.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the report authors, please contact Alexa Whaley at awhaley@cnas.org.