The White House has decided not to publicly release its new framework for evaluating advanced AI models, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. This voluntary framework is expected to have global implications for AI security, but details will only be shared with companies involved in the process. As a result, companies, policymakers, researchers, and U.S. allies not included in the discussions will be uncertain about the administration's plans regarding one of its key AI policies.
On August 2, 2026, the White House conducted staff-level meetings with industry representatives to review the completed framework. Companies that were not invited to these meetings remain unaware of its contents. The framework comes amid ongoing concerns about high-profile cyber-attacks and rapid advancements by Chinese AI developers, which have reignited discussions on the management of open-source models.
It is currently unclear which 'trusted partners' will receive early access to advanced models under the framework, including whether any foreign governments will qualify. The European Union and the U.K. have not provided comments on the matter, and the White House has also declined to comment.
Discussions regarding open-source models took place during the meetings, with Nvidia staff participating. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently met with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and President Trump in Washington, D.C.
The voluntary framework, outlined in a June executive order, aims to provide AI developers with a process for collaborating with the government to determine if their models fall within its scope. It is also expected to establish rules for government access to AI models up to 30 days before their release, addressing issues such as confidentiality, cybersecurity, insider risk, intellectual property, and nondisclosure requirements. The executive order specifies that the benchmarking process for assessing the advanced cyber capabilities of AI models will remain classified, and there is no obligation to publicly release the voluntary framework.