Standards leadership must come from SDOs. Otherwise, the U.S. and EU governments will intervene, which ruins their perceived independence --- that undermines the liberal international order.
Kerry 24 – Ann R. and Andrew H. Tisch Distinguished Visiting Fellow for Governance Studies in the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institute, former Acting Secretary for the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Cameron F. Kerry, “Small yards, big tents: How to build cooperation on critical international standards,” Brookings Institute, 03-11-2024, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/small-yards-big-tents-how-to-build-cooperation-on-critical-international-standards/
Heightened government attention does not mean that improving standards development systems to meet challenges of emerging technologies should be done primarily by governments. It is incumbent on the U.S. and EU in particular to avoid a national standards development arms race because they are leaders in promoting consensus, research-driven standards, and in upholding a rules-based international order. SDOs, the private sector, civil society, and academia need not only to participate, but to take the lead.
Even though the systems of standardization are able to address many issues in AI and other emerging technologies, they will need both additional participation across disciplines and value chain by the researchers, advocacy groups and others NIST identified as stakeholders in its RMF and broader public engagement. Such participation will introduce additional competence and perspective and contribute to broader buyin to the outcomes. Governments can help but they should not be the prime movers. Expanding participation in standards development will require systematic and sustained effort by SDOs and their leading participants.