Artificial Intelligence

Questioning the Hype About Artificial Intelligence

Fresh fears about the singularity have prompted new critiques of what it will mean for humanity.

Modernization

Navy cloud and Air Force space launch

News and notes from around the federal IT community.

Emerging Tech

Truly Autonomous Drones Are Coming, and They May Soon Deliver Packages to Your Door

Human operators of drones are prone to errors. One company is looking to make drones that are truly unmanned.

Cybersecurity

Hackers Raid Passport Agency and Milk Starbucks Customers

Just another week in ThreatWatch, our regularly updated index of noteworthy data breaches.

Cybersecurity

The Government Is Trying to Get Serious About Cyber as a Foreign Policy Issue

What if they held a hearing and only two senators came?

Digital Government

FITARA Guidelines Garner Little Feedback on GitHub -- So Far

So far, the buttoned-up federal IT industry appears more willing to share its thoughts on the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act the old-fashioned way -- by email.

People

Painful hiring keeps tech talent at bay (but does money matter?)

Government needs more talented techies. Is low pay keeping them away, or is it the snail's pace – and tortured process – of federal hiring that's turning them off?

Digital Government

Dump-DUNS caucus weighs in on the Data Act

The federal government uses the proprietary DUNS identifier to code financial transactions, but with Data Act implementation in full swing, open-data advocates are pushing to go open source.

Digital Government

When search knows what you need

In his new book, Microsoft’s Stefan Weitz previews what predictive analytics could mean in practice.

Digital Government

McConnell Introduces Short-Term Reauthorization of Patriot Act

The majority leader’s new legislation would extend NSA mass spying only until July 31.

Digital Government

A few agencies need to up their game on records

All agencies are required to designate a senior official at the assistant secretary level to oversee records management policy, but not all have.

Acquisition

House defense bill includes acquisition reform

Included in the $612 billion House-passed defense bill are some of Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry's proposals for overhauling military purchasing.

Cybersecurity

Fate of surveillance program lies in Senate's hands

After the House voted overwhelmingly to rein in the NSA's bulk-data collection program, the Senate is set for a showdown.

Digital Government

Metadata is the Missing Ingredient in Agencies’ Move to Electronic Record Keeping, Watchdog Says

Guidance for automatically transferring permanent records to the National Archives and Records Administration lacks metadata requirements. That could make parsing through electronic records difficult.

People

Looking for future leaders

Rising Star awards honor individuals doing great things today -- and who are likely to be filling the senior slots tomorrow.

Digital Government

FAA Wishes People Would Stop Flying Drones Near the White House

An illegal amateur flight near the executive mansion Thursday ended with the pilot arrested.