Digital Government
IRS opens up Direct File to the public
Interested taxpayers will have to watch the IRS website to see when the tool is open for new users.
Digital Government
Senate Dems call for an update on vote.gov improvements
More than a dozen Democratic senators signed a letter to the General Services Administration asking for an update on the agency’s work to modernize the government’s voting information platform.
Cybersecurity
FCC to vote on authorizing cyber labeling rules next month
The move is a major piece of a Biden administration push to bring more cyber transparency to consumer products.
Artificial Intelligence
NIST inks partnership to put safety at the intersection of AI and genetic research
A new partnership between NIST and the Engineering Biology Research Consortium looks to secure biotechnologies from being exploited by powerful AI systems.
Artificial Intelligence
NTIA explores the benefits and risks of open-weight AI models
A new request for information issued by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will inform regulatory policy on open-weight models.
Cybersecurity
Russian information operations to likely increase in 2024 amid global election activity, CrowdStrike says
The findings should come as no surprise with the advent of generative AI tools, ongoing geopolitical conflicts and a busy year for elections in the U.S. and Europe.
Cybersecurity
Biden to sign executive order boosting cybersecurity of ports, maritime vessels
The order empowers the Coast Guard to shore up cyber protections for maritime systems and harden current cyber incident reporting rules.
Artificial Intelligence
House forms new task force to tackle AI
The bipartisan collection of 24 lawmakers will work together to push policy on artificial intelligence forward.
Digital Government
USDA seeks fellows for its new digital service team
The tour-of-duty positions will “act as firefighters” to address pressing challenges across the Department of Agriculture, according to the agency’s CIO.
People
NSA cyber director to step down after 34 years of service
His departure comes amid heightened security fears in 2024 and debate over whether to renew a controversial spying power.
Artificial Intelligence
DOD's AI strategy leans on high-quality data
Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Craig Martell said private sector companies will play a crucial role in the Pentagon’s adoption of AI technologies and the pursuit of high-quality data.
Artificial Intelligence
OPM pushes ahead on AI workforce policy, but key deliverables are overdue
The agency announced a job analysis survey on Monday for feds doing AI-related work, but the federal HR shop is lagging on AI in Government Act of 2020 implementation.
Cybersecurity
US, international partners disrupt LockBit ransomware operations
Officials have also developed a tool for victims targeted by LockBit to potentially decrypt their compromised data.
Artificial Intelligence
Lawmakers urge VA to tread carefully with AI
The Department of Veteran Affairs’ 2023 inventory of AI use cases listed over 100 instances where VA is working to use emerging technologies, with at least 40 of those examples in an operational phase.
Artificial Intelligence
Tech companies vow to fight deepfake election content
Some House and Senate lawmakers praised the voluntary commitments but want legislation to require labeling and disclosure.
Acquisition
CIO-SP4 faces more court challenges
In the meantime, the National Institutes of Health's IT acquisition arm has extended the current contract into the fall.
Defense
Navy leaders want more code-loving sailors at sea
One wants to take ad hoc data science efforts and fold them into a formal training cycle.
Cybersecurity
The imitation game
The emergence of low-cost deepfakes has led to a high-stakes race to develop technologies that can detect and label synthetic media.
Acquisition
VA pharmacy tech glitches put 250,000 veterans at risk, officials say
Data transmission errors in the VA's new commercial health record could potentially lead to providers missing important prescription information on patients who visit multiple agency facilities.
Artificial Intelligence