Artificial Intelligence

Agency AI use doubled in 2024, GAO finds

Results from a 2023 to 2024 survey indicate rapid growth of mission support-oriented artificial intelligence tools in federal workplaces.

Cybersecurity

CISA to release telecom security report as its director nominee nears confirmation

The 2022 report, which has not been made publicly available, has been used as leverage by Senator Ron Wyden to hold Sean Plankey from being confirmed as director of CISA.

Digital Government

GSA announces centralized travel service ‘GO.Gov’

Go.Gov will replace individual agency travel management systems and act as a shared service across the government.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmakers, former officials press Commerce over NVIDIA’s chip sales to China

A NVIDIA spokesperson said criticisms of the company’s resumption of H20 chip sales to China “are misguided and inconsistent with the Administration's AI Action Plan.”

Artificial Intelligence

TSA seeks private sector input to enhance airport security

The agency is seeking solutions that “leverage innovative technology” to improve the security screening experience for both travelers and TSA personnel.

Artificial Intelligence

NIH launches new AI agent for analyzing genomic data

GeneAgent is the latest AI tool leveraged to expedite discovery in biomedical research fields.

Policy

California lawmakers urge Trump admin to halt cuts to national labs

Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, along with Rep. Zoe Lofgren, said budget cuts to national laboratories have already led to layoffs, with some other labs warning that “they may need to start laying off thousands of scientists and technical staff in the near future.”

Artificial Intelligence

AWS and Idaho National Lab to collaborate on AI for nuclear energy

Software from Amazon Web Services will help the Idaho National Laboratory research and scale modular nuclear reactors to help power data centers.

Ideas

Knowledge nation and security at risk

COMMENTARY | Experts offer a three-step strategy to cut down on the theft or sale of America’s coveted research data and intellectual property.

Defense

Pentagon will ‘open the door’ to more companies for next major cloud contract

The Pentagon’s tech chief said JWCC Next will look a little different than its $9 billion predecessor.

Artificial Intelligence

Energy announces first 4 AI data center sites on federal lands

Four federal facilities have been selected to host new artificial intelligence-ready data centers, with help from private sector partners.

Acquisition

Pentagon halts $15B Advana recompete draft solicitation

DOD was previously looking to bring in new vendors to support its Advana data-analytics platform through a potential 10-year, $15 billion Advancing Artificial Intelligence Multiple Award Contract.

Cybersecurity

Basic cybersecurity lapses are leaving US infrastructure exposed, top experts warn

To make U.S. networks more “toxic” to adversaries, “we need to have an ability for authentication to have some meaning,” former NSA director Gen. Paul Nakasone said.

Cybersecurity

Pentagon not impacted by Microsoft Sharepoint hack, tech chief says

The department has been holding daily calls with Microsoft since the zero-day was discovered, the DOD CIO said at an event Thursday.

Cybersecurity

Trump’s CISA nominee is confident he can get funding to cyber agency where needed

Sean Plankey, a former Energy Department cyber official, tussled with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., over 2020 election security during his confirmation hearing. He also committed to the renewal of a key cyber information-sharing law before it soon expires.

Artificial Intelligence

Trump signs 3 executive orders to advance AI

The orders mirror tenets outlined in the administration’s National AI Action Plan released earlier that day.

Cybersecurity

DHS impacted in hack of Microsoft SharePoint products, people familiar say

The zero-day vulnerability — which was first disclosed late Saturday — has been exploited by several Chinese state-aligned groups, according to Microsoft.

Digital Government

SSA watchdog to audit agency’s performance metrics

Getting better data is essential to continued oversight, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told reporters Wednesday.