View full title
William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Division E: National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020)
In one paragraph
Division E of the FY2021 NDAA is the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020. It sets up a National AI Initiative to sustain U.S. leadership in AI research and promote trustworthy AI (sec. 5101), and creates a National AI Initiative Office at OSTP, an interagency committee, a National AI Advisory Committee and a National AI Research Resource Task Force (secs. 5102-5106). It authorizes National AI Research Institutes (sec. 5201) and gives AI duties to NIST (including a voluntary AI risk management framework), NOAA, NSF and the Department of Energy (secs. 5301-5501). The rest of the NDAA is outside this entry.
Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.
What it means for business
Sets the federal AI coordination structure and research funding channels that later produced the NIST AI Risk Management Framework; it places no direct compliance duties on private companies.
Key provisions
- National Artificial Intelligence Initiative and White House National AI Initiative Office (secs. 5101-5102)
- Interagency committee and National AI Advisory Committee (secs. 5103-5104)
- National AI Research Resource Task Force and National Academies workforce study (secs. 5105-5106)
- National AI Research Institutes program (sec. 5201)
- NIST AI standards and risk management framework work; NOAA AI center (secs. 5301-5303)
- NSF and Department of Energy AI research programs (secs. 5401, 5501)
Latest legislative action
Jan 1, 2021. Vetoed by President December 23, 2020; passed House over veto December 28, 2020 and Senate over veto January 1, 2021. Became Public Law No: 116-283.
Sponsors
| Name | Role | District |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Smith D | Sponsor | HD-WA-9 |
| Mac Thornberry R | Sponsor | HD-TX-13 |
Roll call votes (showing 3 of 20)
S Cloture on the veto message RC# 291 Jan 1, 2021
80 yea12 nay8 otherPassed
S Passed Senate over veto RC# 292 Jan 1, 2021
81 yea13 nay6 otherPassed
S Motion: to proceed to consideration of the veto message on H.R. 6395 RC# 290 Dec 30, 2020
80 yea12 nay8 otherPassed
Topics and industries
Related topics
Affected industries
This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error