In a $20 million move, the Commerce Department taps MITRE to lead dual initiatives aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into industrial sectors while securing critical networks.
WASHINGTON - The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has announced a significant expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities, awarding $20 million to establish two new centers dedicated to advancing AI solutions in U.S. manufacturing and critical infrastructure. Announced on December 22, 2025, this initiative tasks the non-profit MITRE Corporation with operating both hubs, signaling a deepened federal commitment to securing the intersection of operational technology and digital intelligence.
The move represents a strategic effort to bolster American industrial competitiveness while addressing the escalating cybersecurity risks associated with AI deployment. By funding these centers, NIST aims to accelerate the delivery of AI-based technologies that can optimize production lines while simultaneously hardening the nation's most vital systems against sophisticated cyberthreats.
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According to NIST's announcement, the $20 million investment is specifically targeted at advancing the delivery of AI-based technology solutions. The two centers will focus on distinct but complementary missions: strengthening U.S. manufacturing and enhancing cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. MITRE, a long-standing partner of the federal government, will operate both facilities, leveraging its experience to foster collaboration between NIST experts, private industry, and academic institutions.
This development follows a series of strategic preparations by NIST throughout 2024 and 2025. In July 2024, NIST announced funding opportunities for AI-focused Manufacturing USA institutes, setting the stage for this latest award. Furthermore, just days prior to this announcement, on December 16, 2025, NIST released draft guidelines titled "Rethink Cybersecurity for the AI Era." These guidelines introduced a "Cyber AI Profile" designed to help organizations integrate AI into their cybersecurity strategies, providing the intellectual framework that the new centers are likely to operationalize.
The selection of MITRE to lead these centers reinforces an existing, robust relationship. MITRE already operates NIST's National Cybersecurity Federally Funded Research and Development Center (NCF). In October 2024, NIST renewed MITRE's contract to manage the NCF through 2029, a five-year extension focused on developing targeted solutions for secure technologies. This continuity suggests that the new AI centers will benefit from established infrastructure and institutional knowledge.
"MITRE will operate both centers, partnering with NIST experts, industry, and academia to advance and accelerate transformational AI solutions," MITRE stated in a release regarding the collaboration.
MITRE's track record includes the development of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, which takes an adversarial approach to cybersecurity, contrasting with and complementing NIST's risk-based Cybersecurity Framework. Experts note that combining NIST's standard-setting authority with MITRE's operational research capabilities creates a powerful engine for addressing the dual-use nature of AI.
The manufacturing sector has been a focal point for federal technology investment. NIST has previously awarded millions to small businesses under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to advance technologies including semiconductors and biopharmaceuticals. The new centers will likely build upon these initiatives, focusing on how AI can increase productivity while ensuring that the digital systems controlling physical machinery remain secure.
Recent reports indicate that the NCF has collaborated with over 24 technology companies to produce guidance on Zero Trust Architecture. The new centers are expected to extend this work, specifically addressing vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure sectors such as energy and transportation, where AI integration offers efficiency but introduces new attack surfaces.
From a policy perspective, this investment underscores the U.S. government's intent to lead in "AI for operational technology." By establishing these centers, NIST is moving beyond theoretical frameworks-such as the AI Risk Management Framework-into practical application. This aligns with broader national security goals to protect space assets and commercial satellite constellations, areas where MITRE has previously led vulnerability identification efforts.
For the business sector, particularly manufacturing, the centers promise a centralized resource for testing and validating AI tools. As Cybersecurity Dive reported, NIST's new profiles describe how organizations can manage cybersecurity challenges of different AI systems. Access to these resources could lower the barrier to entry for smaller manufacturers looking to modernize without exposing themselves to catastrophic cyber risks.
As the centers become operational, immediate attention will turn to how they integrate with the existing Manufacturing USA network and the implementation of NIST's CSF 2.0. With the contract for the National Cybersecurity FFRDC secured through 2029, MITRE is positioned to influence the trajectory of U.S. industrial AI policy for the remainder of the decade.
The success of this initiative will likely be measured by its ability to translate high-level guidelines into shop-floor realities, ensuring that the U.S. manufacturing base is not only smarter but resilient enough to withstand the threats of the AI era.
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