Policy
Tech bills of the week: Limiting data harvesting; AI for financial fraud prevention; and more
Although Congress was off this week, lawmakers still introduced several measures looking to examine the use of AI tools and protect mass gathering from malicious drone threats.
Ideas
Unleashing AI across the US government: The data security challenge holding back decision advantage
COMMENTARY | Agencies are making significant investments in AI, but those efforts will be wasted if they can't secure the sensitive data that the emerging capabilities need to provide real value.
Policy
Inside the effort to connect Congress with the feds enacting its policies
Those writing laws don’t often hear from those charged with implementing them. The POPVOX Foundation wants that to change.
Artificial Intelligence
US tech official calls for ‘transformational’ use of AI in scientific discovery
Chief Technology Officer Ethan Klein said deploying AI agents across workflows will enhance scientific efficiency, which is particularly critical “because that underpins every one of these technologies that we're looking to develop.”
Artificial Intelligence
Pentagon will ‘never again’ rely on a single AI provider, official says
Defense Under Secretary for Research and Engineering Emil Michael said new agreements with Big Tech companies are a “counterstatement” to the ongoing Anthropic-Pentagon conflict as the agency prioritizes flexible contracts.
Cybersecurity
Trump admin will push for ‘long-term’ reauthorization of key cyber data-sharing law
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act got a temporary revival as part of a funding package last year, but it will expire again in September unless renewed.
Exclusive
People
White House taps Education’s tech lead as new deputy federal CIO
Thomas Flagg is a longtime government executive, having worked in the Labor Department for over 11 years prior to joining the Education Department.
Cybersecurity
Senator warns CISA election security pullback could leave midterms vulnerable
Mark Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, pressed DHS over reports that states are no longer receiving the same cybersecurity and protection support ahead of the 2026 elections.
Cybersecurity
US lists offensive cyberattacks in counterterrorism strategy
The mention of offensive cyberattacks highlights the White House’s effort to deter foreign hackers and follows public acknowledgments of cyber operations tied to military activity.
Artificial Intelligence
FDA launches updated AI and consolidated data platform
The Food and Drug Administration’s flagship internal AI tool, Elsa, is being integrated with the data platform so that staff can accomplish work more easily.
Digital Government
A NOAA-backed tool shows the hidden value of healthier shorelines
The SHORE-BET calculator helps communities estimate the long-term value of marsh restoration and living shorelines, putting numbers behind storm protection, habitat gains and other benefits that are often easy to see up close but harder to measure broadly.
Modernization
How Broadcom’s VMware buy meant a ‘fundamental shift’ for county tech
Leaders said the 2023 acquisition has led to negative changes in licenses, pricing and support, with many now considering moving away from the longtime vendor.
Modernization
VA still on pace with EHR deployment after rollouts earlier this year, officials say
Other agencies are also looking to iterate on their version of the electronic health record system being used at the VA and DOD — including by bringing it onto ships at sea.
Artificial Intelligence
Commerce AI center will evaluate Google Deepmind, Microsoft and xAI models
A renegotiated deal between the three companies and the Center for Artificial Intelligence Standards and Innovation allows private sector models to undergo safety testing in classified environments.
Artificial Intelligence
Agency leader says AI is helping resource-strained workforce identify more fraud
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services official also said the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud in government are enabling her to “push the needle” with using the technology.
People
10 years after OPM data breach, identity protection benefits for affected feds start to expire
A federal identity monitoring program created after the hack is ending, affecting employees whose information was exposed and raising questions about long-term responsibility once protections expire.
Exclusive
Artificial Intelligence
Trump admin floats policy language limiting contractor say on agency uses of technology
Ongoing drafts of policy documents feature language that would limit the private sector’s ability to dictate how their artificial intelligence models are used in government missions, according to sources familiar with their development.
Cybersecurity
CISA unveils CI Fortify to help secure critical infrastructure during conflicts
For years, U.S. officials have assessed that China is infiltrating non-military critical infrastructure to enable sabotage during a major conflict involving Taiwan.
Artificial Intelligence
Survey: More than half of federal agencies now planning agentic AI pilots
A Market Connections survey sponsored by ServiceNow of more than 200 IT executives across civilian and defense agencies suggests there is significant momentum for agentic AI adoption.
Digital Government