Cybersecurity Policy Report, Bipartisan House Bill Takes Aim at AI ‘Distillation Attacks’, (Oct 23, 2026)
Bipartisan legislation that would aim to prevent foreign adversaries from stealing U.S.-developed AI (artificial intelligence) technology was introduced yesterday in the House.
The AI Cyber Defense Act (H.R. __, 119th Cong. (2026)), authored by Reps. Pat Harrigan (R., N.C.) and George Whitesides (D., Calif.), would direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop voluntary standards to prevent “distillation attacks” that result in the copying of closed-weight AI models developed by U.S. companies, according to its text.
The bill would also require NIST to convene an AI Cybersecurity Roundtable “to develop voluntary standards and best practices relating to the defensive use of artificial intelligence for cybersecurity purposes,” it says.
The roundtable should include “private sector artificial intelligence stakeholders and owners and operators of critical infrastructure,” and the roundtable would be tasked with developing voluntary standards and best practices for the use of AI in cyber defense, the bill says.
“Some of the greatest advances in artificial intelligence are happening right here in America, and we have a responsibility to make sure that technology is secure,” Rep. Harrigan said in a news release.
“Our adversaries are already looking for ways to exploit these systems, and as AI becomes more powerful, the risks to our critical infrastructure will only grow. We need to get the companies developing this technology working directly with the people responsible for defending our power grids, hospitals, and financial systems,” he added.
“AI is advancing at a breakneck pace, and every month we keep China and other adversaries from stealing our progress is a month we gain to build the safeguards this technology needs," Rep. Whitesides said. “This bill helps stop the theft of American AI models and makes sure the operators of our power grids, water systems, and other critical infrastructure are protected as AI makes cyberattacks faster, cheaper, and harder to stop.”
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