Modernization
Lawmakers demand specific timeframe for deploying digital GI Bill platform
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ inability to provide a clear schedule for large-scale deployments of its new education benefits delivery system drew bipartisan concern from members of a House panel.
Artificial Intelligence
Establishing international tech standards is ‘the issue of our time,’ lawmaker says
Sen. Mark Warner encouraged U.S. leadership to learn from previous “complete disaster” moments in technology regulation.
Modernization
Senate Appropriations Committee looks to claw back TMF funding
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. — an original backer of the law that created the Technology Modernization Fund — called the move a “mistake.”
Cybersecurity
Experts warn of financial challenges and gaps in cyber implementation plan
From a crucial lack of federal funding to longstanding issues with the cyber workforce, experts told Nextgov/FCW that the new cybersecurity implementation plan features major “financial potholes.”
Ideas
Looking beyond the hype on AI
COMMENTARY | Generative AI can work in the public sector, but it's critical to address risks and limitations of the emerging technology.
Artificial Intelligence
How NIST is helping to guide the government conversation on AI
Industry, technologists, policymakers and members of Congress are watching what the U.S. standards-setting agency is doing to understand the risks of AI.
Modernization
VA opposed to new EHR requirements but open to more major acquisition review
VA officials told lawmakers Wednesday that they oppose proposed oversight standards for the department’s new electronic health record modernization program.
Cybersecurity
Bipartisan FISMA update looks to tweak cyber incident reporting rules for agencies
The legislation proposes new requirements for disclosing cyberattacks, assigns guidance for A.I.-enabled cyber, codifies the Federal CISO role and more.
Cybersecurity
New White House cyber plan leaves digital identity action items out
Officials noted that identity action items could still be included in later iterations of the national cybersecurity strategy implementation plan.
Digital Government
CDC rolls out new COVID-19 website
The reworked COVID-19 website is part of a larger push to make the public health agency’s web presence easier to navigate, with plans to relaunch CDC.gov early next year.
Cybersecurity
New White House cyber implementation plan looks to ramp up resilience
The plan, released Thursday morning, includes more than 65 “high-impact initiatives” that federal agencies will be tasked with executing to achieve the objectives outlined in the national cybersecurity strategy.
Artificial Intelligence
Where agencies are turning to automation to augment human work
Tech policy leadership discussed ongoing federal use cases for automated systems, emphasizing responsible implementation and agency-specific training.
Artificial Intelligence
DOD experimenting with generative AI, even as ‘potential downsides’ give officials pause
The deputy chief of the agency’s AI office said the department is working with industry to address concerns about the emerging tech.
Cybersecurity
State Department email accounts hit in China-linked cyberattack
A China-based cybercriminal known as Storm-0558 gained access to unclassified U.S. government email accounts using forged authentication tokens according to a report released by Microsoft.
Cybersecurity
Trade groups press White House for national cyber director nomination
A coalition of industry stakeholders is urging the Biden administration to nominate a national cyber director by the end of the month in a new letter sent to the White House Wednesday.
Emerging Tech
Space Race 2.0: How the government is rapidly adopting next-gen space tech
From humankind’s first-ever lunar space station to an unmanned test-bed for emerging technologies that lives in space, the government is using innovative techniques to buy and build the next generation of space technology.
Artificial Intelligence
Space Force plans to harness AI to understand threats and challenges
From expanding space domain awareness to combating ever-evolving cyber threats, a top official detailed how the branch plans to leverage artificial intelligence in the near future.
Data
Want to track pandemic relief spending? Data problems make that difficult, committee says
“These challenges limit the degree of transparency into the use of pandemic relief funds,” a new report from the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee says.
Artificial Intelligence
Deputy at Pentagon’s data and AI office to depart for Palantir
Greg Little, the Pentagon’s inaugural deputy chief digital and artificial intelligence officer for enterprise platforms and business optimization, is leaving his position at the end of July.
Digital Government