Linux Foundation to Oversee New Open Standard for Verifying AI System Security

A group of major technology companies—AMD, Intel, Microsoft, OPAQUE, and TII—has contributed a new open standard called TRACE to the Linux Foundation, which will now oversee its ongoing development and governance. TRACE is designed for AI runtime attestation, a process that allows organisations to verify that AI systems are running as expected and haven't been tampered with while in operation.

As AI tools become more embedded in everyday business operations, from customer service chatbots to data analysis platforms, being able to trust that these systems are secure and unaltered is increasingly important. Runtime attestation standards like TRACE aim to give businesses and software vendors a consistent, industry-backed way to check the integrity of AI systems, rather than relying on proprietary or inconsistent methods from different vendors.

While TRACE is primarily aimed at large technology providers and AI infrastructure builders rather than individual small businesses, its adoption matters for the broader software supply chain. As Australian SMBs increasingly rely on third-party AI-powered tools and services, having trusted, open standards behind those products can improve the overall security and reliability of the technology they use.