Modernization

Trump Administration to Name OPM’s Basil Parker as Federal CIO  

The chief of staff and IT and cybersecurity workforce adviser will be appointed to the top IT position in the federal government, according to the White House.

Emerging Tech

How the Pandemic Changed the Defense Digital Service’s Portfolio

While the group supports multiple COVID-19 efforts, DDS Director Brett Goldstein is also looking ahead to DOD’s data challenges and possible expansion of Hack the Pentagon.

Podcasts

Critical Update: The Government’s Cloud Anxiety 

As more federal agencies shift to cloud computing, officials are reexamining the responsibilities customers and service providers must bear to secure data.

Emerging Tech

COVID-19 High Performance Computing Consortium Shifts Focus to Patient Outcomes

In its second phase, the supercomputing group will prioritize projects that offer to help coronavirus patients in the near future.

Artificial Intelligence

Army-Funded Algorithm Decodes Brain Signals

The algorithm is part of an effort to eventually establish a machine-brain interface.

Digital Government

Acting Federal CIO Has Been in the Job for Months, OMB Confirms

Even some federal IT officials who work closely with the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer weren’t aware that Michael Rigas has been serving as acting Federal CIO for months.

Emerging Tech

Advisory Committee Recommends DHS Perform Better Outreach Regarding Biometrics Programs

The Homeland Security Advisory Council also said its request to review a controversial biometrics rule was never fulfilled.

Ideas

Foundations of a Sound Social Media Retention Strategy for Federal Agencies

A lack of a clear social media strategy also leads to key bits of information getting lost.

Cybersecurity

Transportation IG to Examine Security of Financial Systems Dispersing CARES Act Funds

A new audit will hone in on the security controls of systems being used at the Federal Transportation Department. 

Emerging Tech

Army Considers Facial Recognition to Monitor Children in Its Care

The branch aims to pilot video surveillance and machine learning algorithms to see how they can help keep an eye on kids’ well-being in its child development centers.

Artificial Intelligence

Air Force Turns to Machine Learning to Fight COVID-19 Disinformation

Just as the technology can be used to help deliberately spread falsities online, it can also be tapped to stop that spread.

Modernization

Army Wants a Vendor to Bring ‘Parity’ to AWS and Azure Cloud Offerings

The contractor would be expected to streamline all of the Army’s disparate cloud services, including integrating new Microsoft Azure offerings.

Ideas

Will Quantum Computing Supercharge Artificial Intelligence?

Imagine if we could simply train an AI to look at the data coming from the quantum machine, figure out what makes sense and what is probably wrong without human intervention.

Cybersecurity

CISA’s Elections Operations Center to Remain Open for Another 45 Days  

Officials acknowledged reports of misleading robocalls and suspicious traffic around a Florida system, but said neither were out of the ordinary.

Artificial Intelligence

Critical Update: What a Treasury Office is Learning from Its Blockchain Projects

That’s not the only emerging technology the Fiscal Service Bureau’s innovation office is experimenting with. 

Digital Government

GSA, Pentagon Re-award DEOS Cloud Contract

The latest award comes with a significantly lower projected ceiling than previously cited.

Emerging Tech

Army Picks Fitbit to Develop Wearable Presymptom COVID-19 Detectors

The health and wellness wearable company plans to use the award to partner with the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research to expand testing of its internally developed algorithm.