The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released the Initial Public Draft of NIST AI 200-2, The TEVV-Athlon Framework for Evaluating AI Systems, and is inviting public comment through Oct. 6, 2026.
The framework gives organizations a structured way to build their own AI evaluations rather than relying on one-size-fits-all tests. The draft introduces the TEVV-Athlon Framework, a four-stage method for developing customized assessments of AI systems based on organizational test, evaluation, verification, and validation (TEVV) objectives. The result is a TEVV-Athlon: an assessment in which AI systems are tested through a set of events and tools that generate data on blocks tied to the measurement concepts of interest. The framework is designed to be extensible, adaptable, and customizable across a wide variety of AI applications, including statistical machine learning models, large language models, multi-modal models, and agentic systems.
NIST welcomes input on the framework’s flexibility and scope, TEVV activities that may not be adequately addressed, and any aspects that warrant clarification or expansion. Feedback is encouraged from all stakeholders, particularly organizations with experience conducting AI evaluations and users of AI evaluation reports, including business decision-makers, procurement specialists, researchers, and technical staff.
Learn more and see instructions for submitting comments in the NIST news item.
