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The US Department of State said late Friday that it will launch a pilot AI supply chain credentialing project in Panama as part of its Pax Silica initiative, aimed at securing and accelerating shipments of semiconductors, AI infrastructure and critical minerals through trusted trade routes. The pilot was announced at the 2026 Pax Silica Summit, where close to three dozen economies also signed a Joint Statement on AI Opportunity endorsing a pro-growth, pro-innovation regulatory approach to artificial intelligence.
The announcement came after the conclusion of the second Pax Silica Summit. The Department plans to issue a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity for a new Pax Silica Artificial Intelligence Assistance Project for Panama and other Pax Silica partners that ship high-value AI supply chain products through Panama. The project will develop an AI supply chain credentialing and provenance platform to expedite customs and logistics for vetted shipments of semiconductors, AI infrastructure, critical minerals and related products. The platform is envisioned to integrate with existing customs, port operator and shipper tracking systems. If the pilot with Panama's ports and customs authorities is successful, the Department would expand the project in a second phase to other Pax Silica countries and economies. Launched in December 2025 by Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, Pax Silica is the State Department's flagship effort on AI and supply chain security. The initiative seeks to build economic security consensus among allies to advance secure and innovative supply chains spanning critical minerals, energy inputs, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and AI infrastructure. The 2026 Summit also marked a major expansion of the pact. Ten additional partners such as Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the European Union, Germany, Greece, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Panama, signed the Pax Silica Declaration. Including the new additions, the pact now counts 24 signatories, with the new members joining Australia, Finland, India, Israel, Japan, Norway, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sweden, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. Taiwan has endorsed the declaration principles via a joint statement on US-Taiwan economic security cooperation. Separately, the United States and nearly three dozen Pax Silica economies signed a Joint Statement on AI Opportunity, aligning on empowering builders, startups, developers and the private sector while securing global AI supply chains. Signatories include Argentina, Australia, Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others. The summit also saw the launch of the Foundry School initiative with Stanford University. Under Secretary Helberg unveiled the workforce program, which will feature a seminar series for advanced manufacturing founders and CEOs and a new curriculum jointly developed by Stanford and the State Department for adoption across Pax Silica economies. (ANI)
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