The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals to develop secure protocols for artificial intelligence agent ecosystems under its Pathways to Enable Secure Open-Source Ecosystems, or PESOSE, program.

The PESOSE initiative underscores the government’s push to advance AI research and operational capabilities. Learn more about AI advancement at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18. Sign up now!

Why Focus on AI Agent Protocols?

According to the Dear Colleague Letter published Friday by NSF, AI agents are becoming more capable of carrying out complex tasks that utilize open interfaces and shared standards to interact with tools, data sources and other agents. As a result, they require common protocols for reliable communication and collaboration, particularly when built by different organizations or operating on different systems. Without such protocols, AI systems cannot scale effectively, maintain strong security or operate in a reproducible manner.

What Areas Will NSF Prioritize Under PESOSE?

NSF will prioritize proposals that advance interoperability, scalability, security, open-science applications, partnerships, and education and training. The agency also highlighted security features such as identity verification, secure communication channels, cross-domain data classification mapping, role- and attribute-based access controls, end-to-end auditability, zero-knowledge proofs, robust authentication and fine-grained authorization, and secure message formats.

What Is NSF PESOSE?

The PESOSE program supports open-source ecosystems that create tools and resources available to the public, including software, hardware, models and specifications, and languages and measures for AI model security. The initiative aims to strengthen these ecosystems that drive progress in AI, cloud computing, finance, healthcare, education, manufacturing, mobility and national security. It helps the organizations grow by expanding their user and contributor communities across academia, industry and government, while strengthening security and privacy protections to reduce vulnerabilities that could affect the ecosystems’ development.

Related NSF Investment in Open-Source Security

The PESOSE effort follows a separate NSF investment aimed at strengthening open-source security. The agency awarded up to $12 million through its Safety, Security and Privacy of Open-Source Ecosystems program to eight research teams working to address security weaknesses in open-source software, including code vulnerabilities and supply chain risks.

Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, detailed the Trump administration’s plan to expand exports of U.S. artificial intelligence technologies and promote AI adoption among allied countries during the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

As federal leaders continue shaping policies around AI and emerging technologies, industry and government stakeholders will gather next month to discuss the evolving AI landscape. The Potomac Officers Club will host its 2026 Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 18, convening public and private sector leaders for timely discussions on AI innovation and implementation. Reserve your seat now and be part of the conversation.

Leading the U.S. delegation, Kratsios said the administration’s AI export and adoption strategy advances AI sovereignty for partner countries while rejecting centralized global governance frameworks, the White House said Friday.

“Real AI sovereignty means owning and using best-in-class technology for the benefit of your people, and charting your national destiny in the midst of global transformations,” he said.

Kratsios, a two-time Wash100 awardee, said countries can pursue strategic autonomy through partnerships with the U.S., building on the “American AI stack” while keeping sensitive data within their borders. He encouraged developing nations to accelerate AI deployment in healthcare, education, agriculture, energy infrastructure and citizen-facing government services.

What Is the American AI Exports Program?

During his remarks, Kratsios highlighted the American AI Exports Program as a key initiative supporting the administration’s efforts to expand U.S. AI partnerships abroad.

In October, the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration launched the American AI Exports Program to expand the global reach of U.S. AI technologies by identifying industry-led export packages comprising AI hardware, software, models and applications across various sectors for promotion to markets worldwide. It sought to implement an executive order aimed at promoting the export of the U.S. AI technology stack.

What Are the Other AI Initiatives Announced at the India AI Impact Summit?

In his speech, Kratsios outlined several additional initiatives intended to accelerate global AI adoption. He said the Commerce Department will launch the National Champions Initiative, which will incorporate leading AI companies from partner countries into customized American AI export stacks to demonstrate how U.S. technology can reinforce domestic AI ecosystems.

Kratsios also announced the creation of the U.S. Tech Corps, a new initiative under the Peace Corps that will deploy volunteer technical experts to partner countries to provide support for implementing AI applications in public services.

In addition, he said the Department of the Treasury will establish a new fund at the World Bank to help countries address barriers to AI adoption. He also cited the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s plan to facilitate development of interoperable and secure standards for agentic AI systems through the Center for AI Standards and Innovation’s AI Agent Standards Initiative.

The Department of the Treasury has released two new resources intended to standardize artificial intelligence governance and risk management practices across the U.S. financial sector.

The agency unveiled an AI Lexicon and the Financial Services AI Risk Management Framework on Thursday as part of the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, which calls for clearer standards and risk-based oversight to guide AI deployment.

According to the Treasury, the resources are designed to help financial institutions adopt AI technologies while strengthening consumer protection, cybersecurity and operational resilience.

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What Do the Treasury’s New AI Resources Include?

The AI Lexicon establishes common definitions for core AI concepts, capabilities and risk categories. By harmonizing terminology, the agency aims to bridge the communication gap between regulatory, technical, legal and business functions as AI adoption accelerates across the financial sector.

The Financial Services AI Risk Management Framework adapts the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework to the specific regulatory and operational environment of financial institutions. The sector-specific framework includes 230 control objectives mapped to varying stages of AI adoption. It provides guidance for evaluating AI use cases, managing lifecycle risks and integrating AI governance into existing enterprise risk programs.

The framework is scalable and intended for institutions of different sizes.

“It’s an essential resource for both community and multinational institutions alike, empowering them to effectively manage AI risks while driving growth and innovation,” said Josh Magri, CEO of the Cyber Risk Institute.

How Was the Financial Services AI Risk Management Framework Developed?

The resources were developed through the Artificial Intelligence Executive Oversight Group, a public-private body formed by the Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee and the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council.

More than 100 financial institutions participated in shaping the framework, with input from U.S. and international agencies, including NIST.

The initiative will produce six AI-related resources in February focused on governance, data practices, explainability, identity and fraud prevention, providing practical implementation tools rather than new regulatory mandates.

Why Is Treasury Focusing on AI Governance Now?

As financial institutions are expanding their use of AI, including generative AI, they face emerging risks such as bias, opacity, cybersecurity vulnerabilities and systemic interdependencies.

By aligning the financial sector’s AI risk practices with national standards while tailoring them to sector-specific requirements, the new guidance is intended to promote responsible adoption without slowing innovation.