A researcher affiliated with ByteDance, owner of TikTok, was mistakenly added to a group chat reserved for American AI safety experts, NIST revealed.
The incident, disclosed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on Monday, highlights the complexities of managing international collaborations in sensitive domains.
According to NIST, the individual from ByteDance was inadvertently added to a Slack instance designated for discussions among members of NIST’s U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute Consortium.
The move raised concerns within the consortium, given ByteDance’s status and ongoing controversies surrounding TikTok’s security implications.
NIST promptly addressed the situation upon learning of the researcher’s affiliation with ByteDance, swiftly removing them to uphold the consortium’s code of conduct. However, ByteDance did not respond to inquiries seeking comment, while the researcher remained unresponsive.
The episode adds fuel to the ongoing debate surrounding TikTok’s security and its potential ties to the Chinese government, further exacerbated by legislative actions in the United States.
The recent passage of a bill in the House of Representatives underscores the mounting pressure on ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a nationwide ban.
The AI Safety Institute, established under NIST’s auspices, aims to assess the risks associated with cutting-edge AI programs. Comprising leading tech firms, universities, and NGOs, the consortium collaborates to develop guidelines for AI deployment and enhance security measures.
NIST disclosed that the Slack instance for the consortium boasts around 850 users, reflecting its substantial reach and impact.