GUARD Act of 2025

• Authority: United States Congress
• Parent authority: Federal government
• Jurisdiction: United States
• Collections: U.S. federal laws
• Most recent activity: Proposed
• Most recent activity date: 2025-12-11

Risk subdomain coverage

Minimal coverage — Brief mention but no specific mitigations, recommendations or governance measures relating to the risk subdomain are described.

• Compromise of privacy
• AI system security vulnerabilities
• Disinformation, surveillance, and influence at scale
• Cyberattacks, weapon development or use
• Power centralization and unfair distribution
• Competitive dynamics
• AI possessing dangerous capabilities
• Lack of capability or robustness

All other risk subdomains had no coverage in this document.

Risk Coverage Summary

The document has minimal direct coverage of AI risks, with implicit mentions of approximately 4-5 risk subdomains. The focus is primarily on establishing research infrastructure rather than addressing specific AI risks. Implicit coverage includes security vulnerabilities (2.2), competitive dynamics (6.4), and dangerous capabilities (7.2) in the context of national security and defense AI. The document emphasizes research infrastructure, workforce development, and institutional frameworks rather than risk mitigation measures.

Sector coverage

Good coverage — Comprehensive governance measures or mitigations with clear procedures relating to the sector are explicitly described.

• Scientific Research & Development Services
• Educational Services
• National Security

Minimal coverage — Brief mention but no specific mitigations, recommendations or governance measures relating to the sector are described.

• Public Administration (excl. National Security)

All other sectors had no coverage in this document.

Sectors Summary

This document primarily governs three sectors: Scientific Research and Development Services (through establishment of AI research institutes), National Security (explicit focus on defense and national security AI applications), and Educational Services (universities and colleges as host institutions). The governance is focused on research infrastructure and workforce development rather than operational AI deployment across multiple economic sectors.

Legislative Status

Hard Law

Legislative Status Summary

This is a binding Congressional Act enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives that creates legal authorization for the Secretary of Defense to establish AI institutes and award federal financial assistance. It establishes mandatory requirements, limitations, and procedures that are legally enforceable.

Actors

Proposer

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor
• Summary: The document is a Congressional Act, as evidenced by the enacting clause that indicates it was passed by both chambers of Congress.

Target

• Entity Types: AI_Developer, AI_Infrastructure_Provider
• Summary: The Act targets eligible host institutions that can receive financial assistance to establish AI research institutes. These institutions will develop AI systems and infrastructure for national security and defense purposes, making them both developers and infrastructure providers.

Enforcer

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor
• Summary: The Secretary of Defense has explicit authority to establish institutes, award financial assistance, set eligibility criteria, conduct competitive reviews, and establish requirements for applicants.

Monitor

• Entity Types: AI_Governance_Actor
• Summary: The Secretary of Defense has oversight authority over financial assistance and institute activities. The Act also allows for collaboration with other federal agencies that have missions relating to national security implications of AI.

AI Lifecycle Stages

Lifecycle stages covered by the documents, as defined in the OECD Framework for the Classification of AI Systems

• Plan and Design
• Collect and Process Data
• Build and Use Model
• Verify and Validate
• Deploy
• Operate and Monitor

AI Lifecycle Summary

The document covers multiple AI lifecycle stages with primary emphasis on Plan and Design through the establishment of research institutes, Collect and Process Data through dataset management, Build and Use Model through research and testbed development, and Verify and Validate through pre-deployment evaluation systems. It also implicitly addresses Deploy and Operate and Monitor stages through its focus on translating research into applications for national security.

Technical Scope

Terms relating to technical scope that are mentioned or implicitly referenced in the document

• AI Systems

Technical Scope Summary

The document explicitly mentions 'artificial intelligence systems' throughout but does not specifically define or distinguish between AI models, AI systems, frontier AI, general purpose AI, foundation models, or other technical categories. The focus is on AI systems broadly conceived for national security and defense applications, without compute thresholds or distinctions between model types.