NAIRR Organization, Management, and GovernanceThe organizational structure for NAIRR management and governance should incorporate the interests and perspectives of the many Federal agencies involved in AI R&D, take advantage of the distributed nature of existing and future cyberinfrastructure, and facilitate input from the various constituents and communities involved in and affected by AI research. This chapter lays out the recommended organizational structure and management elements of the NAIRR. It also describes the key governance functions that will require policies and oversight, such as building considerations of privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties into all facets of the NAIRR’s design and operations as well as ensuring system security.The impact of AI extends to nearly all sectors of the Nation’s economy and aspects of society. Thus, it is critical that the governance of the NAIRR appropriately reflects not only the breadth and diversity of the users of the NAIRR, but also the broad suite of constituents likely to be impacted by the AI innovations that result.National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task ForceNAIRRTF_6ca63702-ceaf-11ed-b4fb-9e69fe82ea00A widely-accessible, national cyberinfrastructure that will advance and accelerate the U.S. AI R&D environment and fuel AI discovery and innovation in the United States_6ca638a6-ceaf-11ed-b4fb-9e69fe82ea00To lay out the recommended organizational structure and management elements of the NAIRR_ebd9fe6e-d29c-11ed-9812-b8e10c83ea00OrganizationManagementAdministrationDesignate one agency serve as the “administrative home” for the NAIRR_6ca63b4e-ceaf-11ed-b4fb-9e69fe82ea001NAIRR Organizational Structure Federal agencies currently invest in the infrastructure that enables federally funded research via a range of different models, in alignment with their mission needs. While management of the NAIRR could be handled entirely within a single government agency (which has the benefit of clear ownership, authority, and responsibility), excluding other agencies would likely narrow its focus to that agency’s specific mission, leaving the needs of researchers supported by other agencies unmet, and translating to a loss of opportunity for the Nation. ^^ Instead, the Task Force recommends that one agency serve as the “administrative home” for the NAIRR to provide core funding for a third-party (non-government) Operating Entity that carries out the activities needed to coordinate, federate, and sustain the NAIRR.FundingProvide core funding for a third-party (non-government) Operating Entity that carries out the activities needed to coordinate, federate, and sustain the NAIRR_ebd9ffe0-d29c-11ed-9812-b8e10c83ea001.1National Research CouncilThe Task Force makes its recommendations after careful review of the successful cooperative stewardship model for multidisciplinary users of the Nation’s synchrotron, neutron, and highmagnetic-field user facilities reviewed by the National Research Council. In this model, the responsibility for design, construction, operation, maintenance, and upgrading of a research facility core rests with a single clearly identified Federal agency—the steward. The steward then engages partners—other agencies, industry, and private institutions—in the planning, design, construction, support, and funding of the experimental stations and other sub facilities. While no model is without flaws, the Task Force believes this model will best serve the AI R&D priorities across Federal agencies and achieve the societal-level impacts envisioned for the NAIRR. This funding would provide for the operations of the Operating Entity, not the research resources that would be a part of the NAIRR. Other agencies should play a major role in NAIRR stewardship by (1) forming a multi-agency Steering Committee that provides strategic guidance and collective oversight of the NAIRR, (2) funding resource providers that would be federated together to constitute the NAIRR, and (3) providing staffing for the Program Management Office. It is critically important that all agencies involved in the NAIRR work together through the Steering Committee to coordinate the provisioning of resources and ensure that all agency perspectives are reflected... ^^ Leveraging this model, the agency serving as the administrative home for the NAIRR would fund and oversee the core operations, but would not establish the strategic direction of the NAIRR, nor fund all the individual resource providers. As described below, a Steering Committee, with representation from agencies participating in the NAIRR, should set the strategic direction of the NAIRR and drive decisions about which resources will be brought into the NAIRR from which providers.ManagementManage day-to-day operations through a single, non-governmental Operating Entity_a4dbc074-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea001.2Given the complexity of the NAIRR, the Task Force recommends that its day-to-day operations be managed by a single, non-governmental Operating Entity. The Operating Entity will require a dedicated, expert, stable workforce composed of highly trained technical talent capable of managing long-term, complex needs and systems with a high degree of objectivity. The Operating Entity must leverage external input-gathering mechanisms. ^^ Given the NAIRR’s many operational requirements, expert advice is needed on issues spanning technical resource design, development, management, interoperability, standards, and improvement; user experience design, development, and improvement; ethical design, development, and use of research resources; legal and regulatory compliance, intellectual property management and agreements; and education and training. Experts from a wide range of scientific and academic disciplines, including social science and ethics, and also drawn from government, industry, and non-profit sectors, must therefore be actively engaged, for example, by including them among members of the advisory boards and a User Committee. These advisory bodies are intended to bring diverse perspectives, providing strategic management advice to inform the NAIRR’s operations.Steering CommitteeEstablish the overall strategic direction for the NAIRR_a4dbc2b8-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002NAIRR Program Management OfficeThe Steering Committee should initiate work on the above areas through the administrative home and NAIRR Program Management Office, and may manage certain of the above tasks through operational working committees. The Steering Committee should monitor the progress of the NAIRR towards its objectives and provide recommendations annually in a publicly available report to the NAIIO. NAIRR Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee should initiate work on the above areas through the administrative home and NAIRR Program Management Office, and may manage certain of the above tasks through operational working committees. The Steering Committee should monitor the progress of the NAIRR towards its objectives and provide recommendations annually in a publicly available report to the NAIIO. Many Federal agencies individually and collectively have stakes in the NAIRR’s success, and are therefore envisioned to contribute to its governance. NAIRR governance should follow the proposed cooperative stewardship model and serve the interests of all agencies involved. A Steering Committee comprising principals (e.g., deputy or assistant secretaries) at departments, agencies, and offices with significant AI R&D investments or equities in the NAIRR should be constituted to provide strategic direction. This Steering Committee should be chaired by the Director of the NAIIO, in accordance with the office’s role as coordinator of Federal activities in support of the National AI Initiative, and should have rotating co-chairs. The involvement of deputy or assistant secretaries ensures top-level commitment to agencies’ engagement in the NAIRR and its governance. The Steering Committee may establish operational working committees to manage more operational issues. ^^ Agencies that have already made substantial investments in AI R&D and cyberinfrastructure are likely most able to provide guidance about the NAIRR’s initial setups and structure, and therefore are most likely equipped to lead the initial phases of the NAIRR’s development. Since all agencies stand to benefit, additional agencies should be brought into the Steering Committee over time. The Steering Committee composition should be reviewed every three years by the NAIIO. As part of these periodic reviews, additional agencies could commit funding or resources to the NAIRR or become members of the Steering Committee, or participating agencies could elect to discontinue participation. ^^ The Steering Committee will establish the overall strategic direction for the NAIRR and should be responsible for overseeing and approving the following:Plan, Budget & RFPDevelop an operating plan, budget, and requests for proposals (RFP) to solicit bids for the Operating Entity_a4dbc3f8-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.1The operating plan, budget (see Chapter 5), and requests for proposals (RFP) to solicit bids for the Operating Entity, including the terms and conditions and functions of the Operating Entity.Operating EntityReview proposals and select the Operating Entity_a4dbc6e6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.2The review of proposals for and selection of the awardee to serve as the Operating Entity.Resources_a4dbc8a8-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.3The identification of resources that could be federated, selection of individual resource providers, and determination of how resources could be allocated and made accessible via the NAIRR.IdentificationIdentify resources that could be federated_a4dbc9de-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.3.1ProvidersSelect individual resource providers_a4dbcd30-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.3.2Allocation & AccessibilityDetermine how resources could be allocated and made accessible_a4dbcefc-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.3.3KPIsDevelop key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Operating Entity and NAIRR as a whole_a4dbd03c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.4Once the NAIRR has been initiated, the development of key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Operating Entity and NAIRR as a whole, in collaboration with other NAIRR governance entities.Reviews & NeedsPeriodically review NAIRR activities and performance against KPIs and assess program needs_a4dbd2f8-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea002.5Work with an external, independent evaluator to conduct a periodic review of NAIRR activities and performance against KPIs, and assess program needs and inform decision making and planning.AgenciesContribute NAIRR resource elements by incorporating appropriate funding for NAIRR resources in their annual budget requests_a4dbd4ba-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea003Individual Agencies ~ Federal agencies with AI R&D investments or equities should contribute NAIRR resource elements by incorporating appropriate funding for NAIRR resources in their annual budget requests. Funding for core operations of the NAIRR through the Operating Entity should be provided by the agency serving as the administrative home; individual resource elements can be funded separately with provisions for federation as part of the NAIRR.AdministrationAllocate funding to the agency serving as the administrative home for the NAIRR to provide for the activities of the Operating Entity_a4dbd5fa-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea003.1CongressFirst, funding should be directly allocated by Congress to the agency serving as the administrative home for the NAIRR to provide for the activities of the Operating Entity, including project management, portal development and deployment, federation support, and concierge services such as training and user support. The administrative home agency should staff a Program Management Office, which is described in detail in the next section.ResourcesAllocate funding to individual agencies to fund the resources made available through the NAIRR_a4dbd956-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea003.2Second, funding should be directly allocated by Congress to individual agencies to fund the resources made available through the NAIRR, many of which may be aligned to specific agency mission interests, which should be federated together to constitute the NAIRR. Resources can be funded individually or as part of multi-agency funding opportunities coordinated through the Program Management Office.In addition to software and platform-as-a-service providers, the NAIRR resource providers may represent one or both of the following ... ^^ Given the costs of these resources and their broad applicability to many types of AI R&D and research using AI-enabled methods, in some cases it will be more efficient for multiple agencies to collaborate in funding NAIRR resources rather than having each participating NAIRR agency individually purchase and contribute computing and data storage resources to the NAIRR.ComputingExpand existing computing capacity_a4dbdb2c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea003.2.1Expansions of existing computing capacity (e.g., on-premise computers at a university center or at an FFDRC), dedicated computing time or storage purchased from commercial cloud computing providers, or purchases of new, specialized computational facilities dedicated to AI research.DataEngage trusted data providers and hosts for a transparent and responsible AI data commons_a4dbdcbc-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea003.2.2Trusted data providers and hosts for a transparent and responsible AI data commons. Access to data should be tiered, controlled by the data providers, and provided through the same portal through which computational resources are provided.AwardsEnable access to AI research resources through awards to investigators funded by agencies’ proposal and review processes_a4dbe0b8-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea003.3Third, appropriations provided to Federal agencies for AI R&D programs should be sufficient to support inclusion of NAIRR allocations to enable access to AI research resources as part of Federal awards to investigators funded through agencies’ own intramural and extramural proposal and review processes. Including NAIRR resources as part of the awards will enable such federally funded researchersto leverage the NAIRR’s full capabilities in meeting agencies’ R&D objectives.Program Management OfficeServe as the operational arm of the Steering Committee_a4dbe518-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004While the Steering Committee should provide strategic direction for the NAIRR and have ultimate accountability for its success, the scale and complexity of the NAIRR would require ongoing operational oversight and management by Federal Government employees through a dedicated NAIRR Program Management Office. The Program Management Office should include 8 to 10 dedicated Federal agency staff members, including experts in cyberinfrastructure, data, AI R&D, scientific integrity, ethics, and other areas necessary to execute the Steering Committee’s vision; staffing could be expanded as needed. The Task Force recommends that the Program Management Office staff include individuals who are on detail from participating agencies, including for leadership positions in the office. In practice, the Program Management Office should serve as the operational arm of the Steering Committee and do the following:SolicitationIn consultation with the Steering Committee, develop the solicitation and solicit bids for the Operating Entity, which includes the identification of key Operating Entity personnel such as the Director and key staff._a4dbe680-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.1Selection of the Operating Entity should be conducted in consultation with the Steering Committee and through a standard solicitation process. Criteria to guide the selection process should be developed by the Steering Committee, and should include but not be limited to experience managing multi-agency initiatives; identification of key staff personnel; expertise in AI R&D; a strong diversity plan; and an ability to execute according to the NAIRR implementation timeline presented in Chapter 5.AwardManage the review process and recommend an award by the administrative home agency for the funding of the Operating Entity._a4dbe95a-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.2EvaluationIdentify an external independent evaluation entity whose independent assessment would inform periodic review of the Operating Entity and the NAIRR by the Steering Committee and Program Management Office._a4dbeb44-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.3ProvidersIn collaboration with the Operating Entity, develop multi-agency funding opportunities for resource providers._a4dbecac-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.4OpportunitiesIn collaboration with the Operating Entity, manage the review of responses to multiagency resource provider funding opportunities._a4dbf18e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.5ContractAdminister the Operating Entity contract (i.e., oversee operations/processes including federation of resource providers, assess the Operating Entity’s performance on a recurring basis)._a4dbf60c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.6ResourcesOversee resource allocation and utilization._a4dbf792-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea004.7Operating EntityManage the day-to-day operations of the NAIRR_a4dbfa8a-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005NAIRR Executive Leadership TeamThe Operating Entity should have an executive leadership team—including a Director, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer—that is responsible and accountable for day-today operational decision-making for NAIRR operations; interfacing with advisory groups and government oversight entities; managing outreach, communications, and partner engagement; and scouting and strategizing for new and emerging AI R&D needs. Importantly, the Operating Entity Director or executive leadership team should be allocated 5–10 percent of total resources for discretionary allocations; these allocations could be leveraged during emergency situations, allowing the NAIRR to be agile in responding to urgent or atypical needs—for example, as was done with research efforts established in response to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.NAIRR StaffTo support its responsibilities and functions, the Operating Entity must be able to hire and retain high-quality and experienced staff. For example, ensuring that the NAIRR is resourced with cutting-edge technologies and capabilities requires that the Operating Entity comprise staff members who are expert in advanced research cyberinfrastructure. Similarly, promoting equitable access to resources requires that the Operating Entity’s leadership understands barriers to access. The Operating Entity will need to explore a range of mechanisms for making the work of the Operating Entity attractive to an expert, dedicated staff. In addition, for the NAIRR to successfully promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in AI, it must embody these principles by ensuring diversity among its own staff and leadership and enlisting experts with a range of backgrounds and experiences.The Operating Entity should be a distinct, non-government organization, governed by a formal charter and associated policies, with an executive leadership team managing day-to-day operations. It may take the form of an independent legal entity or a consortium of one or more partners (e.g., existing organizations such as research universities, industry, laboratories, and FFRDCs) that work jointly to initiate, manage, and sustain the NAIRR. The Operating Entity should not itself operate the totality of the computer hardware that makes up the NAIRR; instead, computing, data, and training resources would be delivered by resource providers at universities, FFRDCs, and from the private sector. The Operating Entity would manage the day-to-day operations of the NAIRR. It would have five major responsibilities: (1) linking and coordinating the provisioning of federated NAIRR resources; (2) developing NAIRR policies and procedures; (3) continually modernizing the NAIRR; (4) advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in all aspects of the NAIRR, including operations; and (5) establishing mechanisms to enable evaluation, oversight, and the collection of data for assessing KPIs. These responsibilities are described further below. ProvisioningCoordinate the Provisioning of NAIRR Resources_a4dbfc7e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.1The Operating Entity should work with the Program Management Office (with guidance from the Steering Committee) to develop one or more multi-agency funding opportunities for resource providers. While agencies may opt to fund resource providers separately, a multi-agency funding opportunity would optimize federation and coordination of individual resource providers. The Steering Committee or their designees should review proposal submissions (in concert with the Program Management Office and Operating Entity) and select awardees. From awards made through the multi-agency funding opportunity process, agencies would contract for resource providers to provide services to the NAIRR, using contracts based on a set of common terms and conditions. In some cases, an agency might provide funding to the Operating Entity for direct contracting of services, such as from cloud providers. Subsequently, the Operating Entity will provide continuous management oversight and service delivery evaluation of resource providers in the context of their federation within the NAIRR, including creating the ground rules for interoperability across resource providers. The Operating Entity will be responsible for working with the providers to implement course corrections as needed. It will also receive and evaluate, on a yearly basis at a minimum, requests from the User Committee regarding what resources the NAIRR should offer.Policies & ProceduresDevelop and Communicate NAIRR Policies and Procedures_a4dbfe04-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.2The Operating Entity must transparently communicate which individuals or groups are eligible to use the resources, how resources will be allocated among interested users, and how the users will be able to request and gain access to the resources. Thus, the Operating Entity, in consultation with the NAIRR advisory boards and the Steering Committee, will need to establish the corresponding policies and procedures. As part of this effort, the Operating Entity must establish review processes grounded in principles of scientific integrity and ethics to allocate resources fairly, equitably, and transparently for the full diversity of users and user types, including those who have long been underrepresented in AI R&D. To support these efforts, the Operating Entity will develop portals and services with information about how to access and use resources; hire personnel to serve as the central support staff for NAIRR users and to produce documentation on its use; and create open funding opportunities and associated review processes for project proposals to use the NAIRR’s computing resources. When possible, the Operating Entity should leverage existing approaches, such as review processes, employed by Federal research funding agencies.Technologies & CapabilitiesContinually Update the NAIRR with the Latest Technologies and Capabilities_a4dc0138-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.3The Operating Entity should manage a continual updating of the NAIRR infrastructure to include the latest computational, networking, and data collection, storage, and dissemination technologies and capabilities through biennial multi-agency funding opportunities.Innovation & InvestmentRegularly identify new areas for innovation and investment_a4dc03e0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.3.1In collaboration with the User Committee and informed by metrics related to NAIRR resource usage and KPIs for the NAIRR more generally, the Operating Entity should regularly identify new areas for innovation and investment and their requirements from a NAIRR perspective, and work with the Steering Committee to scope the biennial funding opportunities accordingly. This ongoing refresh of resources is critical for the NAIRR to be able to power AI R&D at the cutting edge. The Operating Entity should have primary operational responsibility for vetting resources that become part of the NAIRR, including recommending to the Steering Committee when to onboard and sunset individual resources, and authority to set the standards for the security configurations of these resources. As an independent organization, the Operating Entity will have flexibility in contracting, partnering, or entering into other agreements with individual resource providers, with oversight provided by the Program Management Office and the Steering Committee. NAIRR operational responsibilities will be distributed among the Operating Entity, federated resource providers, and possibly contractors via partnerships or other agreement types, depending on the Operating Entity’s needs.ReportsProvide annual reports_a4dc0624-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.3.2The Operating Entity should provide annual reports, including the contributions of resource providers, to the Program Management Office and the Steering Committee, and make these publicly available. To be fully transparent and accountable about how and why individual resources or resource providers are selected or no longer supported, reports will include a set of recommendations to the Steering Committee regarding how to augment, reallocate, or reduce the NAIRR’s offerings.InputSolicit input from scientific and user communities and agencies_a4dc094e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.3.3It is likely that needs will emerge that must be addressed in a timely manner. Another mechanism for identifying emerging needs related to the NAIRR’s infrastructure will be for the Operating Entity to conduct a range of activities (with guidance from the User Committee) to solicit input from scientific and user communities and agencies, such as through investigator-initiated workshops to scope emerging areas of science and technology.AdvancesMaintain awareness of computational, data, training, and other infrastructure advances and strive to make cutting-edge developments available to the community_a4dc0b6a-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.3.4In addition, the Operating Entity should maintain awareness of computational, data, training, and other infrastructure advances, and strive to make these cutting-edge developments available to the community either through contracts with resource providers executed through the multi-agency funding opportunities or through internal discretionary development funds (e.g., on an initial pilot basis).DEIAAdvance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility_a4dc0d0e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.4The Operating Entity must be explicitly responsible for incorporating DEIA into all aspects of the NAIRR, including the AI R&D that the NAIRR enables. A DEIA focus should be built into the overall organization, operational plan, and federated system of resources from the beginning, rather than as an afterthought. Extending access to AI research resources as broadly as possible, and incorporating a diverse set of viewpoints into the prioritization of investments, the review of resources and resource providers, and the evolution of the AI research ecosystem, are core to the NAIRR’s diversity and capacity goals. NAIRR user access policies therefore must be grounded in the principles of equity, fairness, and accessibility. Assessment of progress and input on engagement with and support of a broad and diverse AI community will be a key aspect of NAIRR governance and oversight activities.Data, Oversight & EvaluationEstablish Data Collection, Evaluation, Governance, and Operational Oversight Mechanisms_a4dc104c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea005.5The Operating Entity should establish mechanisms for monitoring system and organizational performance, including by designing appropriate metrics-collection mechanisms into the system architecture. It will need to engage with an independent, external evaluator to support the review, and create a process for updating organizational and operational procedures as issues are identified. As part of its key role in NAIRR governance, the Operating Entity will also need to define ethics and scientific integrity policies, as well as mechanisms for reporting, adjudicating, and remediating any violations, with guidance from its advisory boards and the Program Management OfficeAdvisory Boards_a4dc13ee-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006NAIRR Advisory Boards ~ Since the NAIRR will serve many communities and have so many operational requirements, the Operating Entity will need advice on a variety of operational issues, including (1) technical resource design, development, management, interoperability, standards, and improvement to ensure that the NAIRR remains at the cutting edge of innovation; (2) user experience design, development, and improvement to ensure broadly available and equitable access and use of research resources; (3) ethical design and development of access protocols and mechanisms; (4) legal and regulatory compliance; (5) intellectual property management and agreements to ensure that the NAIRR is—and is seen as—trustworthy; and (6) education and training to meet the workforce capacity needs of the AI ecosystem. ^^ To ensure that the NAIRR meets its objective and goals, the Operating Entity should establish several independent boards, focused on different aspects of the NAIRR's mission (e.g., science and technology, data policies, ethics, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties). These oversight boards and advisory boards should be tasked with providing guidance in specific areas and input on metrics to be used for evaluation. ^^ To this end, the NAIRR should establish at least four advisory boards:NeedsProvide advice about the rapidly changing needs across multiple scientific domains_a4dc15b0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.1Science Advisory BoardA Science Advisory Board to provide advice about the rapidly changing needs across multiple scientific domains so that the NAIRR can rapidly adapt to support innovation. The Science Advisory Board should include individuals with management experience drawn from the scientific community, the public at large, public interest groups, the private sector, and other large-scale cyberinfrastructure projects. TechnologyAdvise the Operating Entity about cutting-edge technological solutions_a4dc19d4-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.2Technology Advisory BoardA Technology Advisory Board to advise the Operating Entity about cutting-edge technological solutions in the provisioning and use of computational and data infrastructures, workforce training, and on privacy- and security-related technologies. The Technology Advisory Board should include recognized experts from across the computing, data, and security communities and should be selected to represent industry and government, with some academic involvement. EthicsAdvise the Operating Entity on issues of ethics, fairness, bias, accessibility, and AI risks and blind spots_a4dc1c68-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.3Ethics Advisory BoardAn Ethics Advisory Board to advise the Operating Entity on issues of ethics, fairness, bias, accessibility, and AI risks and blind spots. The Ethics Advisory Board’s intended roles are to (1) evaluate the ethical use of AI, computational, and data resources by NAIRR awardees as well as issues related to scientific integrity, and help the Operating Entity ensure that privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties are not violated; (2) evaluate and advise on the fairness and appropriateness of data and training delivered by the NAIRR; (3) provide guidance on approaches to understanding issues of ethics, bias, and fairness and on NAIRR ethics policies and practices; and (4) handle concerns and/or complaints brought to the Operating Entity’s attention or by the User Committee. The Ethics Advisory Board should provide periodic insight and feedback on a broad range of policy issues, guidelines, and practices, including in areas such as privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. The Ethics Advisory Board should be selected to include experts in privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and ethics as well as to represent user groups, scientific societies, advocacy and civil society groups, and governmentOperating Entity StaffThe activities of these advisory boards should be supported by staff at the Operating Entity.As a guiding principle, each board should consist of 6–8 members to be selected by the Operating Entity after an open call and with input from the Program Management Office and Steering Committee. Special attention should be paid to diversity, inclusivity, and representation/affiliation of board membership. The exact number of, and nominees for, these advisory boards should be reviewed on a regular basis by the Operating Entity in consultation with the Program Management Office as the number of domains supported by and types of services provided by the NAIRR evolve. Members should represent government, academia, and industry sectors, with the relative weights appropriate for each board. Care should be taken to address potential conflicts of interest. The term of membership for individuals should be three years, with staggered expirations (e.g., one-third rolling off each year). The members of each board will select a chair from among their ranks, who can serve an additional two years in this capacity. Advisory boards report to the Operating Entity executive management and are responsible for delivering written guidance annually. Board reports will be shared with the Program Management Office and the Steering Committee by the Operating Entity. Each board should meet a minimum of twice a year.AwardeesEvaluate the ethical use of AI, computational, and data resources by NAIRR awardees as well as issues related to scientific integrity, and help the Operating Entity ensure that privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties are not violated_a4dc1e20-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.3.1NAIRR AwardeesData & TrainingEvaluate and advise on the fairness and appropriateness of data and training delivered by the NAIRR_a4dc21a4-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.3.2IssuesProvide guidance on approaches to understanding issues of ethics, bias, and fairness and on NAIRR ethics policies and practices_a4dc23e8-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.3.3Concerns & ComplaintsHandle concerns and/or complaints brought to the Operating Entity’s attention or by the User Committee_a4dc25b4-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.3.4User PerspectivesProvide user perspectives for the NAIRR_a4dc2960-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea006.4User CommitteeA User Committee to provide the user perspective for the NAIRR, providing feedback on operational and governance issues, offering perspectives on user needs and requirements, and identifying new directions for the NAIRR to create value and serve the community. It should be composed of subject matter experts from across multiple scientific and user communities and be selected to represent AI researchers, with some industry and ex-officio government representation.EvaluationEvaluate NAIRR performance_a4dc2cd0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea007Evaluation EntityEvaluation of NAIRR performance—toward both its high-level goals and its operational KPIs—should be conducted by an independent, external evaluator with experience in assessing major R&D infrastructure programs. This entity should be contracted by the Program Management Office with the input from the Steering Committee, and its evaluation approach developed in parallel with Operating Entity activities so that appropriate metrics can be developed and the associated data collection may be incorporated into the NAIRR’s design.MetricsDevelop metrics_a4dc2eb0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea007.1DataIncorporate associated data collection into the NAIRR’s design_a4dc3248-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea007.2Access & AllocationDemocratize access to AI resources_a4dc34a0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008NAIRR UsersAs described in Chapter 2, the primary users of the NAIRR would be U.S.-based AI researchers and students at U.S. academic institutions, non-profit organizations, Federal agencies or FFRDCs, or startups and small businesses awarded SBIR or STTR funding.U.S.-Based AI ResearchersStudents at U.S. Academic InstitutionsNon-Profit OrganizationsFederal AgenciesFFRDCsStartupsSmall BusinessesSBIR AwardeesSTTR AwardeesPrivate Sector ResearchersOthers (e.g., private sector researchers other than small businesses) would be allowed to access NAIRR resources, but only at limited levels and in support of research that is in the public interest.Academic Research CommunitySupporting the academic research community should be prioritized through the resource allocation process, with particular attention to underserved communities.Underserved CommunitiesFederal Funding AgenciesAccess to the NAIRR should be granted directly to researchers by Federal funding agencies or the NAIRR Operating Entity. Awards may be flexibly structured to include in-kind credits or tokens redeemable for computer time, data access, or other services.User Access and Resource Allocation ~ Since the fundamental objective of the NAIRR is to democratize access to AI resources, the NAIRR must primarily be sustained through Federal investment, with direct user fees employed only to scale beyond a base level of resources.Federal InvestmentSustain NAIRR primarily through Federal investment_a4dc3676-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008.1User FeesEmploy direct user fees to scale beyond a base level of resources_a4dc3a9a-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008.2AllocationEstablish multiple allocation processes based on the nature, size, and scope of the requests_a4dc3df6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008.3With oversight and approval from the Steering Committee and Program Management Office, the Operating Entity should establish multiple allocation processes based on the nature, size, and scope of the requests, which are divided along two primary tracks: one driven by participating agencies and a second peer-review track run by the Operating Entity. Within the agency-driven track, agencies should be given latitude in how to make awards, within the constraints of their allocated credits and in close coordination with the Operating Entity. Credits could be awarded directly through agency research grant funding programs or could be made to awardees through a separate process managed by the agency in close coordination with the Operating Entity. Because not every participating agency may have the expertise or resources to run such a process, the agency could choose to leverage the peer-review track managed by the Operating Entity. The Operating Entity should be responsible for keeping the agencies within their allocation caps, which would be determined based on a combination of factors such as an agency’s support of AI R&D, contributions of resources to NAIRR, or number of allocation requests received, while enabling the agencies to decide who receives the allocations. ^^ The peer-review track should be managed by the Operating Entity and subdivided by size and type as follows:StartupsCap startup requests at a modest size_a4dc3fea-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008.3.1Startup requests: These requests should be capped at a modest size (e.g., suitable for a classroom of students for a single semester, or approximately $1,000 worth of computational time/storage). Requests should be reviewed by staff at the Operating Entity, with turnaround times to the applicant of less than two weeks. Startup allocations would typically expire in one year and then could be renewed.Significant ProjectsPeer review larger requests in support of significant AI research projects_a4dc4648-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008.3.2Research requests: Larger requests in support of significant AI research projects should be peer reviewed through the Operating Entity. The Operating Entity should organize review panels quarterly, and should place caps on the size and duration of requests based on the capacity of resources within the NAIRR... ^^ In both the agency-driven and peer-review tracks, allocations should be provided in credits with base rates derived from the cost of computational time or data storage. Some services, such as downloading data or models from a repository, would not require any credits. The tracks should be structured with different criteria and processes for selection. Within the peer-review track, the basic principle would be that, as the size of the request grows larger, the bar for review increases. At the startup request level, the application would be a simple form that validates enrollment and eligibility, along with a description of the project. At the research request level, the application should be more extensive, including a proposal describing the work, underlying funding support, estimates of the computational resources needed, and so forth. ^^ Possible outcomes include full acceptance, full rejection, cuts in the amount awarded, or redirecting the investigator to different resources within the NAIRR. For government-owned or -controlled resources made accessible to researchers through the NAIRR, the NAIRR resource allocation process should not bypass existing access approval processes but rather route NAIRR researchers into these existing processes. PurchasesEnable users to purchase additional allocations_a4dc48d2-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea008.3.3Purchases: Users could opt to purchase additional allocations if they need services that extend beyond the amount they can acquire through the open startup and research tiers, or could be made by entities that would not otherwise qualify for access ... ^^ If sufficient NAIRR resources are available, the Operating Entity may develop a directcharge model for a subset of available resources. This “purchase” option can be useful both for granting access to users who would not otherwise be eligible for NAIRR access, as well as allowing those users who receive NAIRR access to grow their allocation beyond what can be freely provided. Revenues from cost recovery can be used to further expand the capacity of the NAIRR, providing access for additional users without sacrificing the availability of resources for the typical user base. A thoughtful and publicly-disseminated approach to establishing cost models can ensure that the NAIRR’s public funding stays consistent with the original goal of democratizing access. ^^ The Operating Entity should establish an allocation system to award credits in alignment with available resources. Because AI workloads are extremely difficult to estimate in advance, NAIRR policies should permit the augmentation of resources through justified supplements, advances, or transfers from other accounts. The Operating Entity, with guidance from the Steering Committee and Program Management Office, should regularly review and adjust the division of resources across the agency-driven and peer-review tracks. Transparency & ResponsibilityServe as an exemplar for how transparent and responsible AI R&D can be performed_a4dc4ad0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009Privacy, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties Protections ~ The NAIRR should serve as an exemplar for how transparent and responsible AI R&D can be performed with proper training and oversight at multiple levels. Processes to ensure that NAIRR operations, research, and governance are conducted in a transparent fashion with appropriate oversight should be integrated across all aspects of the design, implementation, administration, management, and use of the NAIRR.Privacy, Civil Rights & LibertiesBe proactive in addressing privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties issues_a4dc4eae-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.1The NAIRR Operating Entity, with input from the advisory boards, must be proactive in addressing privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties issues. It must integrate appropriate technical controls, policies, and governance mechanisms from the beginning.Leadership & GovernanceInclude a diverse set of experts from relevant disciplines as part of NAIRR leadership and governance_a4dc51b0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.1.1One important initial step will be to include a diverse set of experts from relevant disciplines as part of NAIRR leadership and governance. The Steering Committee, Program Management Office, and Operating Entity must work together to ensure diversity among NAIRR decisionmakers, and draw from the expectations for automated systems described in the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights as well as best practices defined in the AI Risk Management Framework ...StaffingHire staff with expertise in protecting privacy and mitigating ethical and societal issues_a4dc5818-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.1.2The Operating Entity leadership should hire staff with expertise in protecting privacy and mitigating ethical and societal issues, who would work with the advisory boards to design privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties considerations into the Operating Entity’s governance and review structures and activities.DatasetsDevelop controls for datasets and a mechanism to ensure that datasets with legal, ethical, or discriminatory issues are quarantined and appropriately handled_a4dc5bf6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.2Consideration for ethical issues should be foundational to the NAIRR and permeate its decision-making processes. One specific area for attention is the data to be incorporated into the NAIRR. The Operating Entity should develop publicly reviewable controls for datasets that the NAIRR hosts and a mechanism to ensure that datasets with legal, ethical, or discriminatory issues are quarantined and appropriately handled, drawing from the principles and expectations detailed in the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.Archives & AuditsSupport system auditing and for maintenance of an archive of retired datasets_a4dc5e94-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.2.1This should include support for system auditing and for maintenance of an archive of retired datasets to provide researchers with the ability to study data with different types of biases to better understand common data issues and potential harms, as well as the robustness of AI models when applied to such datasets.ResourcesEstablish, implement, and publicize acceptance criteria and recommended best practices for all resources joining the NAIRR_a4dc60a6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.3The Operating Entity should establish, implement, and publicize acceptance criteria and recommended best practices for all resources joining the NAIRR to ensure that they are vetted from privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and equity perspectives. These acceptance criteria should be more stringent for resources that are likely to be used in contexts that raise heightened concerns about privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. It will be critical for the NAIRR to act quickly to provide such information, because much harm can result from delaying decision-making.ControlEvaluate and adjust controls as needed to address impacts_a4dc64b6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.4The impacts of any controls instituted should be evaluated and adjustments made as needed. The Ethics Advisory Board, in consultation with the User Committee, should play a central role in designing and implementing privacy, civil rights, and civil libertiesrequirements across all NAIRR systems, policies, and practices, and in ensuring dissemination of those requirements across the ecosystem.KPIsIncorporate uptake and use of control requirements into the NAIRR KPIs._a4dc6808-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.4.2The uptake and use of the requirements should be incorporated into the NAIRR KPIs.ProposalsDevelop criteria and mechanisms for evaluating research and resource proposals from a privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties perspective_a4dc6a38-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.5Ethics Advisory BoardThe Operating Entity should work with the Ethics Advisory Board to develop criteria and mechanisms for evaluating research and resource proposals from a privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties perspective; submit these criteria and mechanisms to the Program Management Office for review by the Steering Committee; and publish the criteria on the NAIRR website.TrainingRequire NAIRR users to complete training about rights, responsibilities, and best practices related to privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties_a4dc6e20-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea009.6Finally, ensuring awareness about rights, responsibilities, and best practices related to privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties is essential. All NAIRR users will be required to complete training, renewed annually, before being granted access to the NAIRR.Scientific IntegrityAddress scientific integrity concerns_a4dc70dc-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010The Operating Entity should also be responsible for addressing scientific integrity concerns.Criteria & MechanismsDevelop criteria and establish mechanisms for addressing researchers’ and AI users’ concerns associated with NAIRR-enabled research_a4dc730c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.1User CommitteeThe Operating Entity should work with the User Committee to develop criteria and establish mechanisms for addressing researchers’ and AI users’ concerns associated with NAIRR-enabled research, submit them to the Program Management Office for review by the Steering Committee, and publish the criteria on the NAIRR website. These criteria and mechanisms should be informed by the Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking and the guidance put forward in the 2023 Framework for Federal Scientific Integrity Policy and Practice from the National Science and Technology Council’s Scientific Integrity Framework Interagency Working Group. There should be mechanisms that allow early, easy, safe, and confidential reporting of perceived concerns.Timeliness & Best PracticesEnsure that best practices are followed and that concerns are quickly addressed_a4dc7730-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.2Ethics Advisory BoardThe Operating Entity staff should work closely with the Ethics Advisory Board to ensure that best practices are followed and that concerns are quickly addressed.KPIsEstablish KPIs for scientific integrity_a4dc7d2a-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.2.1KPIs should be established to ensure that this goal is satisfactorily met.RegistriesProvide public information about research performed using NAIRR resources through regularly updated and publicly available project registries_a4dc7f6e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.3The Operating Entity should provide public information about research performed using NAIRR resources through regularly updated and publicly available project registries containing information such as ...Names, Descriptions & ValuesDocument project names, descriptions, and anticipated value to the public_a4dc8388-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.3.1(1) project names, descriptions, and anticipated value to the public;Teams & AffiliationsDocument project teams and affiliations_a4dc864e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.3.2(2) project teams and affiliations;DataDocument the data used_a4dc8888-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.3.3(3) data used;Questions & MethodsDocument research questions and methods_a4dc8cc0-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.3.4(4) research questions and methods; andDeliverables & DatesDocument anticipated deliverables and associated delivery dates_a4dc903a-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0010.3.5(5) anticipated deliverables and associated delivery dates. The processes and policies established by the Operating Entity should reinforce the expectation that data, code, and publications resulting from federally funded research should be made publicly accessible to the extent possible. Users would be expected to comply with Federal agency public access policies updated in response to the memorandum issued by OSTP on August 25, 2022.Security & AccessImplement system safeguards_a4dc9288-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011System Security and User Access Controls ~ The cybersecurity threat landscape is rapidly changing and evolving as new actors, attack methods, and vulnerabilities emerge. AI research, as an asset to economic growth and national security, is a high-value target. Cybersecurity risks extend beyond technical considerations to human behavior. Creating a culture of usable security and training is key to mitigating human mistakes that can lead to compromise. Just as convenience could conflict with security, fostering an open research environment has tradeoffs with providing secure access to high-value information and resources and protecting intellectual property. ^^ The Operating Entity should implement system safeguards using government-applicable NIST security guidelines as well as the Five Safes framework: safe projects, safe people, safe settings, safe data, and safe outputs. The Five Safes framework structures protection across five dimensions: research projects and individuals working on projects are reviewed and approved; people using the resource must sign security agreements and complete training, and users’ access is monitored; settings operationalize security needs and are managed through a central platform; data is appropriately safeguarded against security, re-identification, and privacy risks; and exports are technically and contractually controlled, and evaluated and monitored to prevent unauthorized disclosure.LayersDesign the NAIRR to consist of multiple tiers_a4dc96a2-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011.1The Operating Entity should design the NAIRR to consist of multiple tiers, starting with at least two primary zones: an open science zone, NAIRR-Open, and a secure zone, NAIRR-Secure. Each zone will federate computational, network, and data resources operating in accordance with security and access-control policies that are uniform within the zone, but different between zones, reflecting the different priorities and needs of the users and resource operators. For example, ease of access and use may be of greater importance in the open science zone and appropriate for classroom settings, while data security may be of greater importance in the secure data zone and appropriate for sharing and analyzing Federal agency protected data.Open ZoneAdopt the best practices developed in the open science community_a4dc997c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011.1.1Open Science CommunityThe NAIRR-Open zone should adopt the best practices developed over two decades in the open science community, drawing from experiences and approaches used by ACCESS, the Open Science Grid, and the National Research Platform.23 Access to open science resources should be managed using single sign-on authentication and a resource allocation mechanism managed by the Operating Entity.Secure ZoneAdhere to security controls and support security requirements_a4dc9bca-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011.1.2The NAIRR-Secure zone should consist of one or more secure enclaves adhering to a common set of security controls, and have the ability to support security requirements for sensitive information, such as those necessary to protect Controlled Unclassified Information and those arising from the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act and other laws and regulations. User-based access will be an important element in the NAIRR-Secure zone. The NAIRR-Secure zone should be administered by a specialized resource provider, subject to all of the oversight and reporting responsibilities of any NAIRR resource provider, but with the additional responsibility of security monitoring and controls compliance for its set of managed projects. To the extent that the data owners (e.g., Federal agencies, other non-governmental resources) require an Authorization to Operate, then it will be the responsibility of the NAIRRSecure resource provider to obtain it.Sensitive DataProtect sensitive data on human beings as well as confidential government data_a4dca066-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011.2Because the datasets to which the NAIRR provides access could include sensitive data on human beings or confidential government data, and because the security landscape is constantly changing, the Operating Entity will require staff with expertise in security, privacy, and usability, and will need to establish security controls and mechanisms that can keep up with the rapid pace of change and ensure the security and confidentiality of such data in accordance with Federal regulations. The value of access to sensitive data is also constantly changing, as evidenced by the recent experience with the COVID-19 pandemic; as a result, the Operating Entity will also require staff with expertise in measuring the value and use of data access, in accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Evidence Act. The Operating Entity must also comply with all Federal regulations for protected data, and adopt both value- and risk-based approaches for protecting sensitive data not otherwise covered by Federal regulations.StaffingHire staff with expertise in security, privacy, and usability_a4dca41c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011.2.1Controls & MechanismsEstablish security controls and mechanisms that can keep up with the rapid pace of change and ensure the security and confidentiality of sensitive data_a4dca67e-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0011.2.2Open SourceAdopt the principle of open source for products developed with Federal funds_a4dcab42-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0012Open-Source Principles ~ The NAIRR Operating Entity and resource providers should adopt the principle of open source for products developed with Federal funds. Exceptions to open-source requirements should be provided for small businesses supported through SBIR or STTR programs that are given access to the NAIRR, and in cases where data are protected.Small BusinessesProvide exception to open-source requirements for small businesses supported through SBIR or STTR programs_a4dcae80-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0012.1Small BusinessesSensitive DataProvide exceptions for cases where data are protected_a4dcb0f6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0012.2TranslationsLeverage Federal programs that support translational activities_a4dcb542-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0012.3NSFThe NSF Cyberinfrastructure for Sustained Scientific Innovation (CSSI)26 and Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE)27 programs are two relevant examples of existing programs that focus on open-source development and support such translational activities.The Operating Entity should leverage existing programs at Federal agencies that support translational activities such as having a professional software developer package software and tools developed as part of research projects for longer-term open-source availability.ProductsMake research products freely available through the NAIRR if they are reasonably mature and documented_a4dcb970-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0012.4More generally, research products should be made freely available through the NAIRR so long as they are reasonably mature and documented (i.e., production-level resources).Environmental SustainabilityMeasure and manage discarded hardware and other electronic waste_a4dcbbe6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0013A system to source hardware in an environmentally sustainable way and measure and manage discarded hardware and other electronic waste (i.e., electronic devices that have reached their end of life) should be established for all resources made available through the NAIRR. Key elements of electronic waste management include maximizing the life cycle and usability of systems, as well as plans for electronic waste recycling, systems and equipment repurposing, and hardware reselling. Recycling electronic waste presents an opportunity for the recovery of critical minerals, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting disposal. When reuse or recycling is not possible, disposal of electronic waste should involve accurately characterizing the waste and sending it to proper permitted disposal sites. For all discarded equipment, records should be kept tracking the disposal of potentially hazardous waste.Computing TechnologiesIdentify computing technologies that are energy efficient and carbon neutral, and that have little or no negative effect on water quality, air quality, waste accumulation, soil contamination, or the U.S. carbon footprint_a4dcc08c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0013.1Technology Advisory BoardThe Operating Entity, with the assistance of its Technology Advisory Board, should also work toward identifying computing technologies that are energy efficient and carbon neutral, and that have little or no negative effect on water quality, air quality, waste accumulation, soil contamination, or the U.S. carbon footprint. Resource ProvidersEvaluate potential resource providers based on the energy efficiency and/or environmental sustainability of the design of the proposed resources_a4dcc3b6-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0013.2Resource ProvidersEnvironmental Protection AgencyFor example, resource providers could work with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star for Data Centers program to improve efficiency, reduce data center cooling energy, and optimize environmental performance.The Operating Entity could consider evaluating potential resource providers based on the energy efficiency and/or environmental sustainability of the design of the proposed resources.Monitoring & OptimizationAcquire, develop, and promote the use of tools to monitor and optimize applications for energy-efficient operation_a4dcc686-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0013.3The Operating Entity and resource providers should acquire, develop, and promote the use of tools to monitor and optimize applications for energy-efficient operation. This would require NAIRR resources to be instrumented with technologies that can identify utilization and energy use at the component level, as energy usage is specific to an application’s execution.Application DevelopmentIdentify application development tools and environments that can assist a programmer in the creation of highly energy-efficient applications and promote energy-efficient user behaviors_a4dccbf4-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0013.4They should also identify application development tools and environments that can assist a programmer in the creation of highly energy-efficient applications and promote energy-efficient user behaviors. These tools should also help the operating system to allocate system capacity to each application with the goal of optimizing energy use.StudiesPromote the importance of studying environmental issues through its support of relevant AI research areas_a4dccf3c-d35a-11ed-922c-73073083ea0013.5The Operating Entity should also promote the importance of studying environmental issues through its support of relevant AI research areas. It should track and report on the percentage of time the NAIRR infrastructure is used for environmental research. Possible areas of study include environmental systems modeling and analysis, climate modeling, bio-systems modeling, watershed modeling and analysis, energy systems management, and waste management. Predictive maintenance and sensor systems learning are other relevant areas of AI research.2023-01-312023-04-04https://www.ai.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/NAIRR-TF-Final-Report-2023.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net