NIST Launches New Artificial Intelligence Centers, Expands Collaboration with MITRE

McLean, Va., and Bedford, Mass., December 22, 2025 —The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) today announced two new national initiatives, expanding its long-standing collaboration with MITRE: the AI Economic Security Center for U.S. Manufacturing Productivity and the AI Economic Security Center to Secure U.S. Critical Infrastructure from Cyberthreats. MITRE will operate both centers, partnering with NIST experts, industry, and academia to advance and accelerate transformational AI solutions.

This expanded collaboration reflects a shared commitment to turning cutting-edge AI research into deployable, real-world capabilities. The Center for U.S. Manufacturing Productivity will focus on strengthening U.S. manufacturing by driving a new industrial revolution focused on efficiency, quality, and innovation. The Center to Secure U.S. Critical Infrastructure from Cyberthreats will address U.S. critical infrastructure cybersecurity by enabling real-time threat detection, automating responses, predicting failures, and analyzing vast data for emerging risks.

“Our goal is to remove barriers to American AI innovation and accelerate the application of our AI technologies around the world,” said Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Acting NIST Director Craig Burkhardt. “This new agreement with MITRE will focus on enhancing the ability of U.S. companies to make high-value products more efficiently, meet market demands domestically and internationally, and catalyze discovery and commercialization of new technologies and devices.” 

Building on its role operating the National Cybersecurity FFRDC (NCF) for NIST, MITRE’s expertise and history of industry and academic partnerships provide a foundation to accelerate innovation and achieve AI-dominance, as directed in the White House’s America’s AI Action Plan. The Centers will leverage MITRE’s investments in its state-of-the-art AI Lab, Federal AI Sandbox, and publicly available tools such as ATLAS, CALDERA and ATT&CK frameworks.

“Our partnership with NIST will produce transformational research to accelerate U.S. development and adoption of reliable, secure, and trustworthy AI to ensure America’s technological and marketplace dominance,” said Mark Peters, Ph.D., MITRE president and CEO. “Utilizing our research and technical capabilities and working with government and industry, these centers will help move trusted AI where it matters most to deliver the greatest impact for the nation.”

NIST, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.

About MITRE

MITRE’s mission-driven teams are dedicated to driving solutions to our nation’s most pressing challenges. As a not-for-profit research and development organization, MITRE’s staff leverage our unique multi-sponsor vantage point, systems expertise, and innovative solutions to ensure the health, prosperity, and security of our nation.

Media Contacts: Jordan Graham, MITRE, media@mitre.org; Jennifer Huergo, NIST,  jennifer.huergo@nist.gov