Policy Approaches and Recommendations

The U.S. government could pursue a range of approaches to governing the risks and benefits of dual-use foundation models with widely available model weights. This Report considers three main policy approaches:

1. Restrict the availability of model weights for du al-use foundation models
2. Continuously evaluate the dual-use foundation model ecosystem and build & maintain the capacity to effectively respond
3. Accept or promote openness

This Report analyzes the pros and cons of these three approaches and ultimately concludes, as NTIA’s recommendation, that the government should not restrict the wide availability of model weights for dual-use foundation models at this time. Instead, the U.S. government should actively monitor and maintain the capacity to quickly respond to specific risks across the foundation model eco system, by collecting evidence, evaluating that evidence, and then acting on those evaluations. The government should also continue to encourage innovation and leading international coordination on open models, while pre serving the option to restrict the wide availability of certain classes of model weights in the future.