US nuclear security agency seeks information on AI for national security
The National Nuclear Security Administration is looking for information on potential AI uses for its mission, following an executive order to establish an integrated AI platform that will fuel scientific discovery.
In a request for information posted to SAM.gov on Monday, the Department of Energy subcomponent that oversees the nation’s nuclear stockpile said it’s exploring the use of the budding technology, and specifically requested information about its use in classified environments, best practices for data curation, and how to approach developing and enhancing AI models, among other things.
The request comes just a week after the Trump administration launched the “Genesis Mission,” aimed at scientific discovery through AI. That effort will not only create an AI platform for such discovery, but it will also depend on the country’s existing research and development infrastructure, including DOE and its national labs.
To further the Genesis program, NNSA said it’s proactively exploring the use of AI for its “critical operations to accelerate nuclear weapons development timelines, ensuring our deterrent remains responsive, effective, and state-of-the-art against evolving global threats.”
Per the request, the agency also said it plans to use AI in its “nuclear nonproliferation missions, ensuring robust monitoring of threats across the globe.” The responses, it said, will be used to inform the plans for the Genesis program.
“NNSA is at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge technology to safeguard our nation,” Brandon Williams, NNSA’s administrator, said in a statement included in a press release. “President Trump’s Genesis Mission provides a clear mandate, and we are responding with immediate action.”
NNSA said it’s looking for information from businesses, institutions, cloud providers, think tanks, universities and others to learn more about market capabilities. Those responses are due Jan. 23.
While the NNSA wasn’t named in the executive order, nuclear fission and fusion energy were mentioned as examples of important science and technology areas that could benefit from the Genesis program.
Before the announcement, NNSA had already worked with Anthropic to assess its models for proliferation risks and developed a system that categorizes concerning content, per a release from earlier this year.
At least one other federal agency that oversees nuclear activities has explored the use of AI in its work in the past.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the nation’s nuclear sector regulator, was among the agencies that recently issued an AI strategic plan, following both a 2024 framework to prepare for potential AI use in its operations and a report on considerations for AI in nuclear applications. However, given that NNSA oversees the U.S. stockpile itself, it’s likely to have different considerations.
