AI

The Trump administration finalized a voluntary pre-release cybersecurity vetting framework for frontier AI models on August 4, 2026, briefing OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia, and Microsoft in a private session. The framework applies only to closed, proprietary models; open-weight models are explicitly exempt. NIST simultaneously released a draft of SP 800-239 on AI data center security.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a halt on new data center grid connections on August 3, directing PUCT and ERCOT to audit all pending projects. ERCOT is tracking more than 474 gigawatts of interconnection requests — over five times Texas's record peak demand — with roughly 90% from data centers. Projects that fail the audit face denial of grid access.