Department of Commerce: Newsroom Items

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

Tags

Department of Commerce Announces New Actions to Implement President Biden’s Executive Order on AI

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 19:32:36 +0000

Department of Commerce Announces New Actions to Implement President Biden’s Executive Order on AI [email protected] Mon, 04/29/2024 - 15:32

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 29, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Announcements include draft guidance documents, a draft plan for international standards, and a new measurement program opening for public comment

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today, following the 180-day mark since President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development of AI, several new announcements related to the EO. The Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released four draft publications intended to help improve the safety, security and trustworthiness of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. NIST has also launched a challenge series that will support development of methods to distinguish between content produced by humans and content produced by AI. In addition to NIST’s publications, Commerce’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is publishing a request for public comment (RFC) seeking feedback on how AI could affect evaluations of how the level of ordinary skills in the arts are made to determine if an invention is patentable under U.S. law, and earlier this year released guidance on the patentability of AI-assisted inventions.

“In the six months since President Biden enacted his historic Executive Order on AI, the Commerce Department has been working hard to research and develop the guidance needed to safely harness the potential of AI, while minimizing the risks associated with it,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The announcements we are making today show our commitment to transparency and feedback from all stakeholders and the tremendous progress we have made in a short amount of time. With these resources and the previous work on AI from the Department, we are continuing to support responsible innovation in AI and America’s technological leadership.”

The NIST publications cover varied aspects of AI technology: The first two are guidance documents designed to help manage the risks of generative AI — the technology that enables chatbots and text-based image and video creation tools — and serve as companion resources to NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) and Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF), respectively. A third NIST publication offers approaches for promoting transparency in digital content, which AI can alter; the fourth proposes a plan for developing global AI standards. These publications are initial drafts, which NIST is publishing now to solicit public feedback before submitting final versions later this year.

“For all its potentially transformative benefits, generative AI also brings risks that are significantly different from those we see with traditional software,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio. “These guidance documents will not only inform software creators about these unique risks, but also help them develop ways to mitigate the risks while supporting innovation.”

USPTO is publishing an RFC seeking feedback on how AI could affect evaluations they make as they determine whether an invention is patentable under U.S. law. For example, the use of AI poses questions as to what qualifies as prior art and the assessment of the level of skill of a person having ordinary skill in the art. USPTO expects the responses to the RFC will help them evaluate the need for further guidance on these matters, aid in the development of any such guidance, and help inform USPTO’s work in the courts and in providing technical advice to Congress.

“As AI assumes a larger role in innovation, we must encourage the responsible and safe use of AI to solve local and world problems and to develop the jobs and industries of the future, while ensuring AI does not derail the critical role IP plays in incentivizing human ingenuity and investment,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO Kathi Vidal. “This work builds on our inventorship guidance, which carefully set forth when the USPTO will issue a patent for AI-assisted innovations, and our continuing policy work at the intersection of AI and all forms of IP.”

More information on the announcements being made today can be found below. All four of the NIST publications are initial public drafts, and NIST is soliciting comments from the public on each by June 2, 2024. Instructions for submitting comments can be found in the respective publications.

Mitigating the Risks of Generative AI

The AI RMF Generative AI Profile (NIST AI 600-1) can help organizations identify unique risks posed by generative AI and proposes actions for generative AI risk management that best aligns with their goals and priorities. Developed over the past year and drawing on input from the NIST generative AI public working group of more than 2,500 members, the guidance document is intended to be a companion resource for users of NIST’s AI RMF. The AI Profile guidance document centers on a list of 13 risks and more than 400 actions that developers can take to manage them.

The 13 risks include issues such as easier access to information related to chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons; a lowered barrier to entry for hacking, malware, phishing, and other cybersecurity attacks; and the production of hate speech and toxic, denigrating or stereotyping content. Following the detailed descriptions of these 13 risks is a matrix of the 400 actions that developers can take to mitigate the risks.

Reducing Threats to the Data Used to Train AI Systems

The second publication, Secure Software Development Practices for Generative AI and Dual-Use Foundation Models (NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-218A), is designed to be used alongside the SSDF (SP 800-218). While the SSDF is broadly concerned with securing the software’s lines of code, this companion resource expands the SSDF to help address concerns around malicious training data adversely affecting generative AI systems.

In addition to covering aspects of the training and use of AI systems, the new companion resource offers guidance on dealing with the training data and data collection process, including a matrix that identifies potential risk factors and strategies to address them. Among other recommendations, the document suggests analyzing training data for signs of poisoning, bias, homogeneity and tampering.

Reducing Synthetic Content Risks

Accompanying generative AI’s development has been the rise of “synthetic” content, which has been created or altered by AI. Offering technical approaches for promoting transparency in digital content is the goal of NIST’s new draft publication, Reducing Risks Posed by Synthetic Content (NIST AI 100-4). This publication informs, and is complementary to, a separate report on understanding the provenance and detection of synthetic content that AI EO Section 4.5(a) tasks NIST with providing to the White House.

NIST AI 100-4 lays out methods for detecting, authenticating and labeling synthetic content, including digital watermarking and metadata recording, where information indicating the origin or history of content such as an image or sound recording is embedded in the content to assist in verifying its authenticity. The report does not focus only on the dangers of synthetic content; it is intended to reduce risks from synthetic content by understanding and applying technical approaches for improving the content’s transparency, based on use case and context.

Global Engagement on AI Standards

AI systems are transforming American society and around the world. A Plan for Global Engagement on AI Standards (NIST AI 100-5) is designed to drive the worldwide development and implementation of AI-related consensus standards, cooperation and coordination, and information sharing.

The draft invites feedback on areas and topics that may be urgent for AI standardization. Such topics, which are ready for standardization, include mechanisms for enhancing awareness of the origin of digital content, whether authentic or synthetic; and shared practices for testing, evaluation, verification and validation of AI systems. Other topics may require more scientific research and development to establish a foundational scientific understanding about critical components of the potential standard.

NIST GenAI

In addition to the four documents, NIST is also announcing NIST GenAI, a new program to evaluate and measure generative AI technologies. The program is part of NIST's response to the Executive Order, and its efforts will help inform the work of the U.S. AI Safety Institute at NIST.

The NIST GenAI program will issue a series of challenge problems designed to evaluate and measure the capabilities and limitations of generative AI technologies. These evaluations will be used to identify strategies to promote information integrity and guide the safe and responsible use of digital content. One of the program’s goals is to help people determine whether a human or an AI produced a given text, image, video or audio recording. Registration opens in May for participation in the pilot evaluation, which will seek to understand how human-produced content differs from synthetic content. More information about the challenge and how to register can be found on the NIST GenAI website.

USPTO RFC on Patentability

The full Federal Register Notice can be found HERE. Comments are due July 29, 2024. Please see the Federal Register Notice for instructions on submitting comments.

To incentivize, protect, and encourage investment in innovations made possible through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and to provide the clarity to the public on the patentability of AI-assisted inventions, the USPTO has previously published guidance in the Federal Register.

Bureaus and Offices

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

During President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa Mission to Kenya, Raimondo Highlights Public-Private Partnerships to Deepen Bilateral Commercial Ties & Announces Joint Statement on AI and Digital Upskilling

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 21:18:44 +0000

During President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa Mission to Kenya, Raimondo Highlights Public-Private Partnerships to Deepen Bilateral Commercial Ties & Announces Joint Statement on AI and Digital Upskilling [email protected] Fri, 04/26/2024 - 17:18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, April 26, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Secretary Raimondo led members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) to Nairobi, where she underscored the impact of the Commerce-wide Africa strategy and highlighted numerous announcements and commercial deals that will strengthen bilateral commercial ties.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and Kenya’s Ministry for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy announced a Joint Statement on Harnessing AI, Facilitating Data Flows, and Empowering Digital Upskilling.

NAIROBI, Kenya – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced and highlighted U.S. private sector commitments and public-private partnerships during an event at the AmCham East Africa Business Summit in Nairobi this week, where Raimondo led members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA).

Secretary Raimondo also announced two Department of Commerce initiatives, including collaboration with African partners on data protection, as well as an African Women Digital Leaders Training program, which will be funded separately by Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration bureau.

Raimondo was also joined by Minister Eliud Owalo, Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy for Kenya, to announce a Joint Statement on Harnessing AI, Facilitating Data Flows, and Empowering Digital Upskilling.

“I chose Kenya for my first official trip to Africa because of the strength of our relationship and because there is so much more our two nations can do together,” said Secretary Raimondo. “I brought with me members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa and representatives from the U.S. private sector to connect directly with Kenyan and African business leaders on the ground and demonstrate our commitment to action by announcing new and expanded programs across Africa. The Biden Administration is all in on Africa and the U.S. companies who participated in this trip share that same belief and optimism about the opportunities in Kenya and the continent.”

Together, delegates participating in the mission announced numerous U.S. investments, creating educational and career opportunities and expanding access to critical internet infrastructure for communities in Nairobi, throughout Kenya, and across the African continent.

The U.S. Department of Commerce will pursue data protection collaboration with African partners. The U.S. Department of Commerce has committed to undertake training and capacity building with African partners, focused on data transfers, cloud usage, enforcement cooperation, and the newly established Global Cross Border Privacy Rules Forum. Starting later this year, these initiatives will be tailored to the needs of African data privacy regulators, aiming to enhance skills, exchange knowledge, and empower African data privacy experts to establish interoperable data protection frameworks that benefit both Africa and the international community.
The U.S. Department of Commerce, through NTIA, will fund an African Women Digital Leaders Training program. Echoing Vice President Harris’ call to increase inclusivity in tech and in support of the key pillars of the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative, NTIA will provide grant funding and work with the United States Telecommunication Training Institute (USTTI) to facilitate digital transformation with Africa by empowering and developing the next generation of women tech leaders and entrepreneurs on the continent. The African Women Digital Leaders Training Program will kick-off later this year in Washington, DC, with a follow- up event in Silicon Valley, with a focus on training, networking, and mentorship with U.S. tech sector leaders. The training will seek to build skills, share knowledge, and empower African women leaders in digital technology.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will fund a feasibility study to assess the viability of developing a cross-continent fiber backbone connecting the Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts of Africa. USTDA’s grant, provided to Kenyan company CSquared, will also assess viability of establishing metro fiber networks in cities or towns along the backbone and creating fiber connections from the metro networks to towers, buildings, and homes. The countries through which the backbone will pass, and which will be assessed by the study, are Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. USTDA approved funding for this feasibility study in April 2024 and the study will be competed among U.S. firms.
USTDA will fund a feasibility study to assess the commercial and technical viability of deploying new fiber and tower infrastructure along the Meter Gauge Railway in Kenya. The grantee of USTDA’s funds, the Wilken Group, will construct a wholesale open-access fiber optic network and a series of 5G-capable towers across approximately 1,172 kilometers of railway between the cities of Mombasa and Malaba. USTDA approved funding for this feasibility study in early March 2024 and the study will be competed among U.S. firms.
Baylis Emerging Markets announced private equity investments in fiber network construction and semiconductor fabrication capacity.
- Baylis, working with a technical partner, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Wilken Group to arrange the $30 million financing and development of a 1,200km fiber optic network, with cell towers, along the railway from Malaba to Mombasa, providing new digital connectivity along this key corridor that connects the port city of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi.
- Baylis also signed an MOU with Semiconductors Technologies Limited (STL) in Kenya announcing the launch of an up-to $250 million fundraising effort to expand STL’s existing semiconductor fabrication plant and research laboratory, introducing chip manufacturing capacity to Africa, de-risking and diversifying the global supply chain.
The National Basketball Triple Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator announced it will support Africa’s tech ecosystem and the next generation of African tech entrepreneurs by providing them with access to mentorship and capital that will help drive growth in the sports and creative industries. The accelerator is open to early-stage startups in Africa that develop solutions in event management and ticketing, youth development, AI, and digital marketing. Ten selected startups will be paired with mentors comprised of NBA Africa leadership and other corporate stakeholders, who will provide guidance to the companies with a focus on product development, business growth and go-to-market strategy.
Rendeavour announced its plans to expand high-speed fiber network to the surrounding local communities around Tatu City, including Ruiru, Africa’s sixth fastest growing town. Tatu City’s new high-speed internet business, called Fahari Link, will serve hundreds of thousands of people earning a daily wage of $2-4, offering low connection fees, daily internet plans, as most cannot afford a monthly plan, and top-level customer service and technical support.
CISCO announced the launch of its first Cybersecurity Technology Experience Centreon the African continent. The Experience Centre is part of Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) initiative in Kenya and, in collaboration with Kenya’s Information and Communication Technology Authority and the University of Nairobi, will offer cybersecurity training and awareness, including courses from Cisco Networking Academy, one of the world's longest-running IT skills-to-jobs programs. It is designed to serve as a hub for cybersecurity training and a showcase of state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions. In addition to offering cybersecurity training, the team operating the center will also help organizations create architecture blueprints and proofs of concept and do lab testing. The Experience Centre will use advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality to equip government officials and the community with the skills and knowledge necessary to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats effectively.
Pfizer launched its “Living With” app to help reduce stigma and increase women’s ability to learn about cancers, treatments, and ultimately living with cancer. This was originally announced during Vice President Harris’s trip to Africa in 2023, and today was the official launch of the app. Pfizer selected three countries to pilot the app in Africa--Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria – and has developed versions in both English and Swahili.
Qualcomm announced Echorich Solutions Limited as the recipient of the 2023 Qualcomm Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund, which aims to provide support and resources to the awarded startup company, enabling them to further advance their innovative initiatives. Qualcomm also announced its second cohort of 10 startups for the 2024 Qualcomm’s Make it in Africa (QMIA) program, which were selected from approximately 250 applicants across Africa.
Texas-based AST SpaceMobile, Inc. announced that it has begun testing its space-based low Earth orbit satellite constellation to deliver cellular broadband service in Kenya. This is the company’s first testing in Africa, and the second region tested outside the United States. AST SpaceMobile aims to close the global connectivity gap and digitally transform nations by offering affordable 5G broadband service from space for use with everyday smartphones.

Bureaus and Offices

Bureau of Industry and Security

Tags

Doing Business in Africa

Department of Commerce Restricts Export of All Firearms to Non-Government Entities in High-Risk Countries

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:49:14 +0000

Department of Commerce Restricts Export of All Firearms to Non-Government Entities in High-Risk Countries [email protected] Fri, 04/26/2024 - 11:49

Trade enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, April 26, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released an interim final rule (IFR) amending the Department’s licensing policy for exports of firearms, ammunition, and related components under its jurisdiction. The changes being announced are intended to reduce the risk of legally exported firearms and related items being diverted or misused to fuel regional instability, drug trafficking, human rights violations, political violence, and other activities that undermine U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.

“The Commerce Department is protecting America’s national security by making it harder for criminals, terrorists, and cartels to get their hands on U.S.-made firearms. Too often, firearms exports fall into the wrong hands and end up being used in ways that directly undermine U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. To combat this, we’re taking strategic, targeted actions, including restricting exports to commercial entities in high-risk countries and increasing scrutiny and tracking of all firearms exports,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

BIS’s IFR institutes the following changes:

More stringent review standards: BIS will increase scrutiny on a transaction-by-transaction level to help prevent firearms from ending up in the hands of foreign criminals, gangs, terrorists, or other malign actors. BIS is implementing regulations that list a clear set of national security and foreign policy factors to consider when reviewing a license application, including terrorism risks, human rights concerns, state fragility, corruption, the nature and capabilities of the firearm, and past instances of diversion and misuse.
Presumption of denial for commercial transactions in countries the State Department has identified as high-risk: BIS will apply a “presumption of denial” standard to applications involving nongovernmental recipients located in a destination where the State Department has determined there is substantial risk that firearm exports will be diverted or misused in a manner contrary to national security and foreign policy. The State Department’s methodology and country list are included in its Firearms Guidance Memorandum. This is in addition to BIS’s policy of denial for countries subject to U.S. arms embargoes and for applications linked to drug trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime.
Data collection and transparency: BIS will improve data collection on firearms exports by adopting new export control classification numbers (ECCNs) to track what kinds of firearms U.S. manufacturers are exporting abroad. These include new ECCNs for semi-automatic firearms and related items.
Additional documentation for license applicants: BIS is implementing regulatory changes to licensing procedures that will help validate that firearms are only exported to trustworthy foreign entities. BIS is reducing the general license validity period from 4 years to 1 year, which will ensure that BIS is able to adapt to an ever-changing global security environment. Furthermore, for countries with less-developed export control regimes, BIS will require the submission of additional documents from licensees before approving a license, including a purchase order and import certification.

In addition to the new rule, on July 1, 2024, BIS will revoke currently valid licenses that authorize exports of firearms to non-government end users in the destinations identified by the State Department. This change will align future exports to the new IFR. Those licenses have not been reviewed under the updated policy, but license holders are welcome to reapply so that their applications can be reviewed under BIS’s new standard.

The IFR is effective on May 30, 2024, and the Department will accept public comments on the rule until July 1.

On October 27, 2023, the Department paused both the issuance of new export licenses involving certain firearms, ammunition, and related components under its jurisdiction as well as the provision of new export assistance activities for such products to non-governmental end users in certain destinations. During the pause, the Department assessed firearm license review policies to determine whether any changes were warranted to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests as set forth in the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

The IFR reflects a targeted approach to significantly reduce the risk of diversion or misuse of lawfully exported U.S.-origin firearms to foreign criminals, gangs, terrorists, and other malign actors. These changes will help to enhance U.S. national security and to promote U.S. foreign policy interests, including by advancing human rights and fostering greater regional stability.

In addition to the BIS IFR, Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) is implementing changes to its Client Eligibility Policy that will curtail promotion of firearms exports and exports of other items destined for commercial end users that could be misused by malign actors. Any request falling into this category will be declined except in cases consistent with U.S. foreign policy objectives, including national security and human rights.

The IFR is on public inspection today here.

Bureaus and Offices

Tags

National Security

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 16:12:19 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto [email protected] Thu, 04/25/2024 - 12:12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Kenyan President William Ruto to underscore the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to partnering with Kenya to deepen bilateral trade and investment ties. In particular, the Secretary acknowledged the significant efforts that President Ruto’s Administration has made to improve Kenya’s business environment and attract increased U.S. investment in the country. Secretary Raimondo also congratulated President Ruto for Kenya’s leadership across the continent on business and policy innovation. The two discussed opportunities to increase U.S.-Kenya collaboration to promote convergence in digital policy and greater alignment on their countries’ respective approaches to artificial intelligence. The Secretary and President identified important opportunities for collaboration in the green energy and clean technology sectors, of which Kenya is a continental leader. Finally, Secretary Raimondo shared that she looks forward to President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto’s State Visit hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden next month.

Bureaus and Offices

Leadership

Tags

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Micron to Onshore Leading-Edge Memory Chip Production in U.S. for First Time in Decades

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 09:00:14 +0000

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Micron to Onshore Leading-Edge Memory Chip Production in U.S. for First Time in Decades [email protected] Thu, 04/25/2024 - 05:00

Manufacturing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 25, 2024

U.S. Department of Commerce Proposes up to Roughly $6.14 Billion for Micron to Expand Domestic DRAM Chip Production in Idaho and New York

Micron’s Full Vision Would Create Approximately 20,000 Jobs and Catalyze up to $125 Billion in Private Capital Over Two Decades, Including Commitments of $50 Billion in Capex Over Next Six Years

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Micron Technology have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to roughly $6.14 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. competitiveness in leading-edge memory semiconductor production. The proposed funding would support the construction of two leading-edge Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) fabs in New York, the first step in Micron’s two-decade vision to invest approximately $100 billion in New York and create roughly 13,500 facility and construction jobs. In addition, the proposed funding would unlock a $25 billion investment in a DRAM fab in Idaho, which will be co-located with Micron’s R&D facilities in Boise and create approximately 6,500 facility and construction jobs. Together, these investments would advance the company’s plans to onshore approximately 40% of their DRAM chip production over the next two decades.

“Leading-edge memory chips are foundational to all advanced technologies, and thanks to President Biden’s leadership, America is rebuilding its capacity to produce these critical capabilities for the first time in almost two decades,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With this proposed investment, we are working to deliver on one of the core objectives of President Biden’s CHIPS program – onshoring the development and production of the most advanced memory semiconductor technology which is crucial for safeguarding our leadership on artificial intelligence and protecting our economic and national security. With these proposed investments, coupled with Micron’s historic private investment of up to $125 billion in New York and Idaho over the next 20 years, President Biden is working to revitalize U.S. technological leadership and creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs.”

Micron is widely recognized as a global leader in leading-edge DRAM technology and production and is the only U.S.-based manufacturer of memory chips. Currently, all leading-edge DRAM chip manufacturing takes place in East Asia, but through this proposed investment in Micron, the Biden-Harris Administration would help strengthen U.S. economic and national security by bolstering a reliable domestic supply of the leading-edge DRAM chips that are important components for advanced technologies, such as wireless communications, personal computing, high-performance compute, automotive, and AI. Micron’s technology will also enable the highest-performance memory, known as High-Bandwidth Memory, which is critical for enabling new AI models. Through its investments in its New York and Idaho fabs, Micron will attract key suppliers to the United States, further strengthening U.S. supply chain resilience.

"Thanks to President Biden’s historic CHIPS and Science Act, today's announcement is a meaningful step forward in America's leadership in semiconductor development and manufacturing," said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. "Micron's investments in New York and Idaho will be crucial to constructing high-volume manufacturing fabs, establishing our country as a global leader in the leading-edge semiconductor market, and helping to write the next chapter of economic prosperity in America."

“Our ability to research and develop the next generations of artificial intelligence, wireless communications, and many more advanced technologies depend on leading-edge DRAM chips,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Thanks to this proposed CHIPS investment, Micron’s leading-edge R&D facility in Boise, Idaho, will develop and produce the most advanced DRAM technology nodes while their planned megafab in New York will produce the chips at high volumes—creating a robust domestic leading-edge memory supply chain that would help make the United States a global leader in memory technology.”

“This is a historic moment for semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Micron President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. “Micron’s leading-edge memory is foundational to meeting the growing demands of artificial intelligence, and we are proud to be making significant memory manufacturing investments in the U.S., which will create many high-tech jobs. We appreciate the foresight of U.S. President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the bipartisan delegation in Congress that supported the CHIPS and Science Act. Their steadfast focus championing these strategic investments will ensure U.S. semiconductor competitiveness for generations to come.”

The proposed CHIPS investment would create a robust leading-edge DRAM chip ecosystem in the United States by supporting projects in Idaho and New York:

Clay, New York: Construct first two fabs of planned four fab “megafab” focused on leading-edge DRAM chip production. Each fab will have 600,000 square feet of cleanrooms, totaling 2.4 million square feet of cleanroom space across the four facilities—the largest amount of cleanroom space ever announced in the United States and the size of nearly 40 football fields.
Boise, Idaho: Develop a high-volume manufacturing (HVM) fab, with approximately 600,000 square feet of cleanroom space focused on the production of leading-edge DRAM chips. The fab would be co-located with the company’s R&D facility to improve efficiency across their R&D and manufacturing operations, reducing lags in technology transfer and cutting time-to-market for leading-edge memory products.

Micron is committing to spend $50 billion toward the development of their first three fabs over the next six years, spurring community revitalization and ecosystem development across the country. Over two decades, these projects are expected to create over 9,000 manufacturing and facility jobs and 4,500 construction jobs in New York, and over 2,000 manufacturing and facility jobs and 4,500 construction jobs in Idaho. Micron’s projects will operate under Project Labor Agreements (PLA) in New York and Idaho. Both PLAs emphasize workforce training through registered apprenticeships and hiring veterans and local workers. For example, the New York PLA includes a partnership with a local pre-apprenticeship program, which will prepare a diverse workforce for entry into construction trades, and the Idaho PLA includes measures to increase construction work by underserved communities.

The PMT includes at least $40 million in proposed dedicated workforce funding to help Micron – an industry leader in workforce development – secure the highly skilled workforce it needs to build and operate these fabs. As part of its commitment to developing a robust local talent pipeline in New York, Micron has forged strong partnerships with local communities, universities, and community colleges – including Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College (OCC) in New York, and College of Western Idaho (CWI) and Boise State University in Idaho – to train and recruit its manufacturing workforce. These partnerships have enabled Micron to launch its first-ever Registered Apprenticeship Program in Idaho in collaboration with CWI and the Idaho Manufacturing Alliance. This program currently supports 21 active apprentices ranging from recent high school graduates to adults switching industries. Scaling this program, Micron will partner with the Manufacturer’s Association of Central New York and surrounding education providers, including OCC, to design and launch a Registered Apprenticeship program in New York to support workforce needs.

Micron is also working with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and its affiliates the New York State United Teachers and the United Federation of Teachers to help students get ready for the thousands of new technical careers in the semiconductor industry by piloting a curricular framework, teacher training, and work-based learning opportunities in 10 New York districts. After piloting the framework, it will be made widely accessible – enabling other communities to scale this program that supports the alignments of education and workforce development programs, starting with K-12 students.

Micron is committed to providing accessible, affordable, reliable, and high-quality child care options for its workforce. In Boise, Idaho, Micron will be opening a near-site 124-seat child care center to families in September of 2024, which will be run by the YMCA, to help bolster child care availability in the region. Similarly, in New York, Micron is in the early-stage processes of planning a new facility for employees. Across both locations, the company provides a wide set of child care offerings, including backup care, care-navigation tools, including for home based and non-traditional hour care, via their local Child Care Resource and Referral partnerships, as well as a Dependent Care Flexible Spend Account.

Micron will design and operate their New York megafab according to their sustainability framework and commitments while using green infrastructure during the construction of the fabs. Micron also plans to use 100% renewable electricity and mitigate greenhouse gases with the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

In addition to the proposed direct funding, the CHIPS Program Office would make up to $7.5 billion of proposed loans – which is part of the $75 billion in loan authority provided by the CHIPS and Science Act – available to Micron under the PMT. New York State has also committed to providing $5.5 billion in incentives for Micron’s project in Clay, New York. Additionally, Micron has worked with New York State to create the Green CHIPS Community Investment Fund that will invest $500 million, including $250 million from Micron, in community and workforce development over the duration of the project. In Idaho, Micron has signed a Community Investment Framework alongside the state and city of Boise, and the company has committed $75 million over the next 10 years toward workforce development and community priorities. Micron will also benefit from an incentive package in the state of Idaho, including reduced state taxes related to the project and substantial investments in semiconductor workforce training programs. The company has also indicated that it plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.

As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a potential CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of a long-form term sheet and award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After the PMT is signed, the Department begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in the long-form term sheet and the final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.

About CHIPS for America

The Department has received more than 640 statements of interest, more than 190 pre-applications and full applications for NOFO 1, and more than 160 small supplier concept plans for NOFO 2. The Department is continuing to conduct rigorous evaluation of applications to determine which projects will advance U.S. national and economic security, attract more private capital, and deliver other economic benefits to the country. The announcement with Micron is the seventh PMT announcement the Department of Commerce has made under the CHIPS and Science Act, with additional PMT announcements expected to follow throughout 2024.

CHIPS for America is part of President Biden’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office, responsible for R&D programs, that both sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. NIST 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. NIST is uniquely positioned to successfully administer the CHIPS for America program because of the bureau’s strong relationships with U.S. industries, its deep understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and its reputation as fair and trusted. Visit www.chips.gov to learn more.

Bureaus and Offices

Tags

CHIPS for America

Semiconductor Industry

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry Rebecca Miano

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:22:47 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry Rebecca Miano [email protected] Wed, 04/24/2024 - 15:22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade and Industry Rebecca Miano. During the meeting, the two explored the opportunities to strengthen bilateral commercial ties across a variety of sectors, including the digital economy, infrastructure, agriculture, clean energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence. Secretary Raimondo commended Kenya as a leader on the continent on digital transformation and Kenya’s strides to achieve their green Silicon Savanah aspirations as a growing hub for technology and clean energy. The Secretary and Cabinet Secretary addressed their shared commitment to strengthen the U.S.-Kenya commercial and investment relationship as the United States prepares for President Ruto’s State visit to the United States next month. Later in the meeting, Secretary Raimondo and Cabinet Secretary Miano were joined by Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, as well as members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa for a discussion on opportunities to advance U.S.-Kenya commercial relations.

Tags

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Kenyan Women Tech Leaders

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 18:48:58 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Kenyan Women Tech Leaders [email protected] Wed, 04/24/2024 - 14:48

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo hosted a roundtable discussion with several leading women technology leaders in Kenya to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s Digital Transformation with Africa initiative. During the meeting, participants shared successes that women entrepreneurs and technology leaders are experiencing in Kenya, as well as challenges Kenyan women still face within the digital sector. Secretary Raimondo spotlighted the potential opportunities Digital Transformation with Africa programming could advance. The Secretary highlighted the Department of Commerce’s efforts to promote greater equity in the tech sector, including a recent announcement from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to fund the African Women Digital Leaders Training Program, which will bring the next generation of women tech leaders in Africa to Washington, DC and Silicon Valley for training, networking, and mentorship with the U.S. tech sector.

Bureaus and Offices

Tags

Joint Statement on Harnessing Artificial Intelligence, Facilitating Data Flows and Empowering Digital Upskilling Between the United States Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 14:38:36 +0000

Joint Statement on Harnessing Artificial Intelligence, Facilitating Data Flows and Empowering Digital Upskilling Between the United States Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy [email protected] Wed, 04/24/2024 - 10:38

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced a partnership to harness AI, facilitate data flows, and empower digital upskilling with Kenya during her participation in the AmCham Business Summit: U.S.-East Africa Trade & Investment Forum. Raimondo was joined by Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo for the announcement.

The text of the following joint statement was released by the United States Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy:

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy Eliud Owalo affirmed their shared priorities for strengthening the digital economy, promoting innovation, and increasing digital trade and investment between the United States and Kenya. Secretary Raimondo and Cabinet Secretary Owalo noted the potential benefits of the digital economy, including economic growth, job creation, and the fostering of an inclusive, equitable, ethical, and sustainable digital future for our citizens and the global community.

Through our partnership, we are excited about the prospect of U.S. companies investing in Kenya as a digital hub, including the establishment of data centers, to support businesses and citizens in Kenya and throughout the region.

Secretary Raimondo and Cabinet Secretary Owalo acknowledged the transformative possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) to shape economies and societies—across many sectors and in people’s daily lives—and the importance of harnessing the power of AI for good while mitigating its risks.

Both principals noted the important role data privacy, data protection, and cross-border data transfers play in developing critical and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). They also reaffirmed their intention to cooperate on establishing interoperable privacy regimes and facilitating trusted cross-border data flows.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy noted that investing in the digital capacity of the workforce is critical to realizing the potential of digitalization and artificial intelligence. A shared core objective of the United States Digital Transformation with Africa initiative and the Kenyan National Digital Master Plan is for human capital development to facilitate inclusive access to important digital skills. The goal for this objective is to empower a skilled workforce to effectively learn and apply emerging technologies and become active and safe participants in the digital economy.

Secretary Raimondo and Minister Owalo welcomed cooperation between our governments and industry in the following areas:

Data Protection and Cross Border Data Transfers

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy affirm our shared priorities to promote innovation, advance artificial intelligence and foster an open, interoperable, reliable and secure Internet.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy recognize that the ability to aggregate, store, process, and safely transmit data across borders is critical to the development of the digital economy and innovation. This need can be addressed by promoting robust data protections and enforcement while fostering interoperable mechanisms to facilitate trusted and secure cross-border data flows, including those essential to the development of emerging technologies like AI.
Recognizing that these critical and emerging technologies also pose new challenges for policymakers and regulators, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy intend to explore innovative solutions, such as participating in collaborative fora to bridge regulatory differences and promote compatibility and explore interoperability. The U.S. Department of Commerce also intends to continue sharing information on international mechanisms, including the certification systems under the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum, that facilitate the transfer of personal data and data privacy best practices to promote interoperability between our privacy regimes.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy recognize the need to incorporate African countries’ perspectives in the development of international mechanisms, and welcomed Kenya’s close engagement with the Global CBPR Forum, which was created to facilitate and develop international data transfer mechanisms and encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing, and technological innovation.
As the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy intend to cooperate on data protection and cross border data transfers, we are aware of a need for strong interoperable data governance. Harmonized and compatible data governance plays a critical role in both data protection and enabling smooth cross-border data transfer. In this regard, we intend to cooperate in building and strengthening interoperable data governance structures and capacity.

Artificial Intelligence

Emphasizing the indispensable role of data in fueling AI innovation and development, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy are committed to identifying areas of alignment and possible cooperation in our respective approaches to AI, including potential engagement with the U.S. AI Safety Institute, with a focus on exchanging knowledge and best practices for the development and deployment of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy intend to cooperate on identifying opportunities for participation in AI research and standards development. Secretary Raimondo and Cabinet Secretary Owalo applauded the global consensus achieved by the UN General Assembly resolution “Seizing the opportunities of safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems for sustainable development.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy intend to work together to identify how AI can help meet the needs of the Kenyan economy and how AI adoption can advance our shared priorities in key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy also intend to cooperate in the enhancement of the AI environments through addressing its driving pillars: Data, digital infrastructure, power/green energy, governance policies, computing resources, digital skills relevant to AI, and partnership and collaboration between governments, industry specific organizations, academia, and civil society.

Digital Upskilling

Advancements in labor saving technologies pose a new challenge for policy makers to upskill their workforce and to address the growing gap in digital literacy skills, including those relevant to utilizing AI. The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy are committed to working together and with other countries to promote a digital economy that facilitates inclusive access to digital skills and literacy, particularly for youth, women, and under-represented communities.
In support of the United States Digital Transformation with Africa and digital upskilling in the region, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunication and Information Administration, through grants and in partnership with the U.S. Telecommunications Training Institute, intends to draw from applicants across Africa including Kenya to provide training, networking, and mentorship opportunities to help develop the next generation of tech leaders and entrepreneurs in Africa.

Based on this shared understanding, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy intend to promote adoption and implementation of policies and rules in our bilateral and multilateral economic relationships that support interoperability between our two privacy regimes and that identify areas of cooperation in our respective approaches to AI.

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kenyan Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy issue this joint statement without prejudice to their rights and obligations arising from the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO). This joint statement does not create binding obligations under domestic or international law.

Bureaus and Offices

Leadership

Tags

Workforce Development

Privacy

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:06:43 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni [email protected] Tue, 04/23/2024 - 10:06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss the U.S.-Italy commercial relationship and cooperation within the G7. Secretary Raimondo also discussed transatlantic issues of concern, which included bilateral investment, support for Ukraine, and collaboration on artificial intelligence.

Bureaus and Offices

Leadership

Tags

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the NOAA Heat Risk Tool Press Event

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:01:49 +0000

Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves at the NOAA Heat Risk Tool Press Event [email protected] Tue, 04/23/2024 - 10:01

Environmental data

AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Don Graves

Thank you, Dr. Elliott, for that introduction. Good morning, everyone! I’m pleased to join you all today to speak about our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s important work in building a climate-ready nation.

I’d like to thank Dr. Spinrad and the entire NOAA team for helping make this event possible.

Millions of Americans are impacted by extreme heat waves, which are growing in intensity, frequency, and duration due to climate change. Last summer, we saw record temperatures across the country – a trend that is likely to continue in the months ahead.

What’s more, frequent and recurring extreme heat events are costing the United States billions of dollars each year.

The situation is alarming, and it requires a whole-of-government response to ensure that communities have the support they need to plan, prepare, and recover from these extreme weather events.

Part of NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, and to share that knowledge and information with others. NOAA’s National Weather Service has always provided this commitment in its forecasts, warnings, and impact-based decision support services for the protection of life and property and enhancement of the national economy.

I’m pleased to announce that NOAA is following through on these commitments with an expansion of their HeatRisk tool, through the National Weather Service.

We’re working hand-in-hand with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to provide a new experimental product to assist populations that are most vulnerable to the hazards of extreme heat. This is a perfect example of the federal government working effectively and collaboratively to deliver for the American people.

And this work wouldn’t have been accomplished without the remarkable, dedicated, talented civil servants that make up NOAA. Their hard work will help inform, protect, and safeguard millions of Americans from the real and increasing danger being posed by extreme heat – and on behalf of the Department of Commerce, I feel proud and grateful to have them at the forefront of these efforts.

And with that, I’ll hand it over to CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen.

Bureaus and Offices

Leadership

Don Graves

Tags

Climate Change

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 18:11:43 +0000

Readout of Secretary Raimondo’s Meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal [email protected] Wed, 04/17/2024 - 14:11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Today, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal ahead of the second Ukraine Partnership Forum. During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo reiterated the Department of Commerce’s continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression. The Secretary updated the Prime Minister on the Department’s engagement with the U.S. private sector on Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction objectives. The two also discussed the Department’s work with partners in coordinating export controls and restricting sales of advanced technologies to Russia, which have hampered Russia’s ability to access to key components and technology.

Tags

Export Controls

Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Announces First-of-its-Kind National Child Care Innovation Summit

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:51:03 +0000

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Announces First-of-its-Kind National Child Care Innovation Summit [email protected] Wed, 04/17/2024 - 13:51

Investing in communities and workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

During a White House event on expanding access to care and other supportive services workers need to train for and stay in good-paying jobs, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Commerce Department will co-host a first-of-its-kind National Child Care Innovation Summit later this year. The summit will be held in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

The event will bring together key public- and private-sector stakeholders to discuss the vital role of child care as economic infrastructure and work towards accessible, affordable, and high-quality child care. The program will highlight and explore child care solutions, including creative care models and policies, emerging employer approaches, and public-private partnerships that can help address the child care crisis. The Summit will encourage action by the private sector as a partner and force multiplier to the public sector in establishing child care as critical infrastructure.

“Access to affordable, quality child care is not a social issue – it’s an economic issue. If we’re to train and retain workers for 21^st century jobs, we need to provide them with the economic infrastructure they need to stay in those jobs and care for their families,” said Secretary Raimondo. “I’m excited to announce that the Department of Commerce will co-host this first-of-its-kind event to bring together lawmakers, private sector leaders, and non-profit representatives to identify solutions to help solve the child care crisis.”

Details on the National Child Care Innovation Summit will be made available in the following weeks.

A White House fact sheet on the Biden-Harris Administration’s progress toward providing care and other supportive services for workers is available here.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to Travel to Kenya to Highlight Important Bilateral Commercial Relationship, Burgeoning Digital Opportunities to Advance U.S. and Kenyan Societies and Economies

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:52:27 +0000

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to Travel to Kenya to Highlight Important Bilateral Commercial Relationship, Burgeoning Digital Opportunities to Advance U.S. and Kenyan Societies and Economies [email protected] Wed, 04/17/2024 - 08:52

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo will travel to Nairobi, Kenya from April 23 to April 25. Secretary Raimondo will lead a delegation of private sector companies from the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA). She will highlight the U.S.-Kenya bilateral commercial and investment relationship and flourishing digital space in Kenya, and throughout Africa, that is helping to shape the world for the better and create exciting opportunities for partnerships with the United States. While in Nairobi, Secretary Raimondo will meet with Kenyan government officials, as well as trade and digital ministers from across Africa. She will also engage with U.S. and Kenyan private sector representatives and speak with women and youth leaders in science, technology and creative industries. The Secretary’s visit builds on the Department of Commerce-wide Africa strategy announced by Deputy Secretary Graves last fall at the AGOA forum in South Africa and underscores the enormous potential that comes with technological advances to support our societies and economies to address global challenges.

Bureaus and Offices

Leadership

Tags

Doing Business in Africa

CHIPS for America Announces over $50 million Funding Opportunity to Encourage Small Business Research and Development

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:34:51 +0000

CHIPS for America Announces over $50 million Funding Opportunity to Encourage Small Business Research and Development [email protected] Tue, 04/16/2024 - 15:34

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to seek applications from eligible small businesses to explore the technical merit or feasibility of an innovative idea or technology for developing a viable product or service for introduction in the commercial microelectronics marketplace. The Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to helping small businesses access the resources they need to thrive and promote competition to level the playing field.

The CHIPS for America program anticipates up to approximately $54 million in funding across multiple topics on research projects for critically needed measurement services, tools, and instrumentation; innovative manufacturing metrologies; novel assurance and provenance technologies and advanced metrology research and development (R&D) testbeds to help secure U.S. leadership in the global semiconductor industry.

President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law on August 9, 2022. The Department of Commerce is overseeing $50 billion to revitalize the U.S. semiconductor industry and strengthen the country’s economic and national security. CHIPS for America R&D within the U.S. Department of Commerce is responsible for administering $11 billion to advance U.S. leadership in semiconductor R&D. CHIPS R&D is a critical part of President Biden’s agenda to support American innovation for decades to come.

Metrology, the science of measurement and its application plays a key role in semiconductor manufacturing. As devices become more complex, smaller, and multi-layered, the ability to measure, monitor, predict, and ensure quality in manufacturing becomes much more difficult and uncertain.

In September 2022, NIST published a report titled Strategic Opportunities for U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing, which identifies seven grand challenges that need critical attention from a metrology perspective to achieve U.S. leadership in semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing. This report summarizes input from industry, academia, and government and provides strategies for addressing the grand challenges.

“CHIPS for America is committed to building opportunities for all businesses, including small businesses, to prosper as we grow the U.S. semiconductor industry. Because we recognize the high costs associated with innovation in the semiconductor industry, we’re offering awardees of this funding opportunity up to the maximum amount possible per award by the Small Business Innovation Research Program to ensure opportunity is within reach for all businesses seeking to be part of the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

“Small businesses have an important role to play in the semiconductor ecosystem,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio. “NIST has long supported the SBIR program, and this funding opportunity dedicated to CHIPS Metrology will help give small businesses the opportunity to take innovative ideas, scale them for the commercial marketplace, and boost the U.S. economy.”

Funded activities are expected to include, but not necessarily be limited to compact, fieldable cryogenic technologies, compact extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources, and the seven grand challenges.

This funding opportunity is provided through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, the federal government’s largest platform to promote U.S. technology innovation research and private-sector commercialization. NIST is one of eleven federal government agencies that operate an SBIR program.

CHIPS for America will provide a briefing on details of the NOFO on April 18, 2024, at 3:30pm ET. Webinar participants must register in advance.

Learn more about the CHIPS Metrology Program and the seven grand challenges.

About CHIPS for America  

CHIPS for America is part of President Biden’s economic plan to invest in America, stimulate private sector investment, create good-paying jobs, make more in the United States, and revitalize communities left behind. CHIPS for America includes the CHIPS Program Office, responsible for manufacturing incentives, and the CHIPS Research and Development (R&D) Office, responsible for R&D programs. Both offices sit within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at the Department of Commerce. NIST 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. NIST is uniquely positioned to successfully administer the CHIPS for America program because of the bureau’s strong relationships with U.S. industries, its deep understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and its reputation as fair and trusted. Visit www.chips.gov to learn more.   

Bureaus and Offices

Tags

CHIPS for America

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Announces Expansion of U.S. AI Safety Institute Leadership Team

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:15:00 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Announces Expansion of U.S. AI Safety Institute Leadership Team [email protected] Tue, 04/16/2024 - 05:15

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced today additional members of the executive leadership team of the U.S. AI Safety Institute (AISI), which is housed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Raimondo named Paul Christiano as Head of AI Safety, Adam Russell as Chief Vision Officer, Mara Campbell as Acting Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff, Rob Reich as Senior Advisor, and Mark Latonero as Head of International Engagement. They will join AISI Director Elizabeth Kelly and Chief Technology Officer Elham Tabassi, who were announced in February. The AISI was established within NIST at the direction of President Biden, including to support the responsibilities assigned to the Department of Commerce under the President’s landmark Executive Order.

“To safeguard our global leadership on responsible AI and ensure we’re equipped to fulfill our mission to mitigate the risks of AI and harness its benefits, we need the top talent our nation has to offer. That is precisely why we’ve selected these individuals, who are the best in their fields, to join the U.S. AI Safety Institute executive leadership team,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Developing guidelines that will strengthen our safety and security, engaging with civil society and business, and working in lockstep with our allies are fundamental to addressing this generation-defining technology. Because of President Biden’s leadership, we’re cultivating the talent pool necessary to achieve these critical goals.”

“At the direction of President Joe Biden, the United States Government is moving fast and using every tool at our disposal to seize the promise of AI while managing the risks,” said Bruce Reed, White House Deputy Chief of Staff. “One of the best levers we have to get this right is to bring in the experts from civil society to tech innovators to scientists. We are building a strong team across government to keep pace with this technology, protect our interests, and shape it in accordance with our values.”

“I am very pleased to welcome these talented experts to the U.S. AI Safety Institute leadership team to help establish the measurement science that will support the development of AI that is safe and trustworthy,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio. “They each bring unique experiences that will help the institute build a solid foundation for AI safety going into the future.”

Paul Christiano, Head of AI Safety, will design and conduct tests of frontier AI models, focusing on model evaluations for capabilities of national security concern. Christiano will also contribute guidance on conducting these evaluations, as well as on the implementation of risk mitigations to enhance frontier model safety and security. Christiano founded the Alignment Research Center, a non-profit research organization that seeks to align future machine learning systems with human interests by furthering theoretical research. He also launched a leading initiative to conduct third-party evaluations of frontier models, now housed at Model Evaluation and Threat Research (METR). He previously ran the language model alignment team at OpenAI, where he pioneered work on reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), a foundational technical AI safety technique. He holds a PhD in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mara Quintero Campbell, Acting Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff, will be responsible for staff and decision-making coordination and design, execution, and oversight of the AISI operations and activities. Most recently, Campbell served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer within the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA), where she managed the internal operations for 300 staff across six regional offices and headquarters. While at EDA, she was charged with running major projects, including COVID response and implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act and the CHIPS and Science Act programs. Before EDA, Campbell was Associate General Counsel and Acting General Counsel at the Inter-American Foundation. She holds a law degree from American University, Washington College of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bard College.

Adam Russell, Chief Vision Officer, will shape and help implement the vision and strategy for the AISI, while also communicating that vision externally. Russell is the Director of the Information Sciences Institute’s (ISI) AI Division at the University of Southern California. Russell previously worked at University of Maryland’s Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), where he focused on human-AI teaming, forecasting, and collective intelligence. While at UMD, he also helped stand up the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Prior to UMD and ARPA-H, Russell served in government for over a decade, both as a Program Manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) – launching programs focused on the social sciences and AI – and as a Program Manager at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) – launching programs on enhancing intelligence and measuring trust and trustworthiness. He received a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and holds a B.A. in cultural anthropology from Duke University.

Rob Reich, Senior Advisor, will advise the AI Safety Institute and lead engagement with civil society organizations to help ensure that AISI efforts reflect the feedback and input of a diversity of stakeholders. Reich will be on public service leave from Stanford University, where he is a professor of Political Science at Stanford University, Associate Director of the Institute for Human-Centered AI, Co-Director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, and past Director of the Center for Ethics in Society. He has authored a number of books that address technology, ethics, and policy. He holds a PhD in the philosophy of education from Stanford University, and a B.A. in philosophy from Yale University.

Mark Latonero, Head of International Engagement, will lead AISI’s international collaboration to help achieve globally aligned approaches to guidance, testing, and standards development. He will also work to expand partnerships with counterpart government Institutes, multilateral organizations, international standards organizations, and other scientific offices to further the vision of a global scientific network for AI safety. Latonero was most recently the Deputy Director of the National AI Initiative Office at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he helped lead on international AI policy, including on the AI executive order, and coordinated AI activities across the federal government and with private sector and civil society stakeholders. He was previously a senior policy advisor for AI and international cooperation at NIST and worked on the AI Risk Management Framework. He has also served as a senior consultant for the United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary General and Human Rights Office and as a senior policy advisor at the Partnership on AI. Latonero holds a PhD from the University of Southern California, specializing in the social impact of emerging technologies, and was a postdoctoral research scholar at the London School of Economics.

Bureaus and Offices

Tags

AI Safety Institute

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Samsung Electronics to Establish Leading-Edge Semiconductor Ecosystem in Central Texas

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Samsung Electronics to Establish Leading-Edge Semiconductor Ecosystem in Central Texas [email protected] Mon, 04/15/2024 - 05:00

Manufacturing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 15, 2024

Office of Public Affairs

[email protected]" rel="noreferrer">[email protected]

Proposed CHIPS Investment of up to $6.4 Billion Would Complement More than $40 Billion in Private Investment to Support a Comprehensive Semiconductor Cluster for Leading-Edge Logic, Advanced Packaging, and R&D in Taylor, Texas, and Expansion of Austin Fab in Texas

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Samsung Electronics (Samsung) have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $6.4 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen the resilience of the U.S. semiconductor supply chain, advance U.S. technology leadership, and fuel U.S. global competitiveness. Samsung – the only leading-edge semiconductor company that is a leader in both advanced memory and advanced logic technologies – is expected to invest more than $40 billion dollars in the region in the coming years, and the proposed investment would support the creation of over 20,000 jobs.

The proposed investment would turn Samsung’s existing presence in Texas into a comprehensive ecosystem for the development and production of leading-edge chips in the United States, including two new leading-edge logic fabs, an R&D fab, and an advanced packaging facility in Taylor, as well as an expansion to their existing Austin facility. It also demonstrates Samsung’s ongoing commitment to the United States, where it has been manufacturing chips since 1996. By continuing to develop the technologies of the future in the United States, Samsung is taking steps that would work towards strengthening U.S. economic and national security and increasing the resilience of both the U.S. and global semiconductor supply chains. Because of investments like Samsung’s, the United States is projected to be on track to produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge logic chips by 2030.

“I signed the CHIPS and Science Act to restore U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and ensure America’s consumers, businesses, and military maintain access to the chips that underpin our modern technology,” said President Biden. “This announcement will unleash over $40 billion in investment from Samsung, and cement central Texas’s role as a state-of-the-art semiconductor ecosystem, creating at least 21,500 jobs and leveraging up to $40 million in CHIPS funding to train and develop the local workforce.”

“Thanks to President Biden’s CHIPS Act, Samsung is expected to invest more than $40 billion to build a cluster of semiconductor factories here in the U.S. that will employ thousands of workers in good-paying jobs, support a robust supplier ecosystem, and fuel innovation through R&D,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Proposed CHIPS investments like the ones we are announcing today will be a catalyst for continued private sector investments to help secure the long-term stability we need to put America at the beginning of our semiconductor supply chain and to safeguard a strong resilient ecosystem here at home. The chips that Samsung will be making in Texas are important components to our most advanced technologies, from artificial intelligence to high-performance computing and 5G communications. With President Biden’s leadership and Samsung’s commitment to the U.S., this proposed funding advances America’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing on the world stage.”

President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to usher in a new era of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, bringing with it a revitalized domestic supply chain, good-paying jobs, and investments in the industries of the future. The proposed CHIPS investment in Samsung would propel Central Texas into a state-of-the-art leading-edge ecosystem, creating over 17,000 construction jobs and more than 4,500 good-paying manufacturing jobs within the next five years, while stimulating regional commercial growth, leveraging the robust two-year and four-year academic footprint in the state to produce the skilled workers needed to fill the critical roles created by the proposed investment. With these proposed investments and the formation of this ecosystem, CHIPS for America would be helping to deliver on the CHIPS Vision for Success and contributing to the development of the local communities across Central Texas.

“Semiconductor research and development is critical to building a robust and thriving semiconductor manufacturing industry in the United States,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Samsung’s plans to build a cutting-edge R&D and advanced packaging facilities in Texas are shining examples of the types of R&D projects that will help build, and heavily contribute to, America’s chip manufacturing industry.”

“We’re not just expanding production facilities; we’re strengthening the local semiconductor ecosystem and positioning the U.S. as a global semiconductor manufacturing destination," said Kye Hyun Kyung, President and CEO of the Device Solutions (DS) Division at Samsung Electronics. "To meet the expected surge in demand from U.S. customers, for future products like AI chips, our fabs will be equipped for cutting-edge process technologies and help advance the security of the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.”

The proposed investment would be split across multiple projects at two separate locations in Central Texas:

Taylor, Texas: Construct a comprehensive advanced manufacturing ecosystem, ranging from leading-edge logic to advanced packaging to R&D, transforming the small municipality of Taylor into an expansive hub of leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. This ecosystem would include two leading-edge logic foundry fabs focused on mass production of 4nm and 2nm process technologies, an R&D fab dedicated to development and research on technology generations ahead of nodes currently in production, and an advanced packaging facility producing 3D High Bandwidth Memory and 2.5D packaging, both of which have critical artificial intelligence applications. The semiconductors that are designed and manufactured in this ecosystem would serve a wide variety of end markets – from communications, automotive, and defense industries to high-performance computing and artificial intelligence.

Austin, Texas: Expand a facility that has been an economic engine for Central Texas for nearly 30 years. This proposed investment would expand the existing facilities to support the production of leading fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) process technologies for critical U.S. industries, including aerospace, defense, and automotive. This proposed investment also includes commitments to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Samsung has a proven record of workforce engagement in Texas, including robust partnerships with local education institutions — such as Austin Community College, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas State Technical College, Temple College, Manor High School and Taylor High School — to train its future semiconductor workforce. The proposed CHIPS investment also includes up to $40 million in dedicated workforce funding. Additionally, to attract and maintain the skilled workforce necessary for its projects, Samsung is exploring options in collaboration with the Department to build supply and defray the cost of high-quality and accessible child care for its employees.

Samsung’s waste management efforts at its Austin site have received the Zero Waste to Landfill Gold Level certification for recycling or reusing 96% of waste and its wastewater pretreatment practices have received longstanding recognition from the City of Austin. The Taylor site would use leading-edge sustainability strategies to promote carbon-free electricity use, conserve water resources, and avoid or reduce other impacts to the environment.

In addition to the proposed direct funding of up to $6.4 billion, the company has indicated that it plans to claim the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to cover up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.

As explained in its first Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Department may offer applicants a PMT on a non-binding basis after satisfactory completion of the merit review of a full application. The PMT outlines key terms for a CHIPS incentives award, including the amount and form of the award. The award amounts are subject to due diligence and negotiation of a long-form term sheet and award documents and are conditional on the achievement of certain milestones. After the PMT is signed, the Department begins a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed projects and continues negotiating or refining certain terms with the applicant. The terms contained in the long-form term sheet and the final award documents may differ from the terms of the PMT being announced today.

About CHIPS for America

The Department has received more than 630 statements of interest, more than 180 pre-applications and full applications for NOFO 1, and more than 160 small supplier concept plans for NOFO 2. The Department is continuing to conduct rigorous evaluation of applications to determine which projects will advance U.S. national and economic security, attract more private capital, and deliver other economic benefits to the country. The announcement with Samsung is the sixth PMT announcement the Department of Commerce has made under the CHIPS and Science Act, with additional PMT announcements expected to follow throughout 2024.

Bureaus and Offices