Digital Government
White House mandates agencies use Login.gov for public-facing websites
The Trump administration will still allow agencies to use commercial credential service providers in addition to the in-house capability, but it is strongly encouraging them to promote Login.gov.
Defense
The US military gets its own ChatGPT today
After months of security testing, Pentagon adds an OpenAI product to the list of AI tools approved for unclassified work.
Acquisition
CMS taps Mathematica, Deloitte to improve effectiveness of its healthcare models
An agency spokesperson said the four-year Learning Insights for Action project “will enable CMS to efficiently target resources across models with varying periods of performance and support cross-model learning.”
Digital Government
CDC releases overdose prevention data hub
The agency “wants to ensure maximum transparency to empower patients, providers and other stakeholders as we continue our battle against the opioid epidemic,” said CDC Director Erica Schwartz.
Cybersecurity
White House launches water cybersecurity pilot in Texas
Project Watershed 250 will stress-test utilities over six months and could serve as a model for protecting water providers nationwide.
Artificial Intelligence
National Archives says agencies’ AI use does not automatically create federal records
New guidance from the National Archives and Records Administration outlines when agencies should preserve AI-related materials as federal records and notes there is no “one size fits all” approach to doing so.
Policy
Tech bills of the week: identifying sponsored content in AI tools; Reshoring biotech manufacturing; and more
This week’s bills seek to label sponsored content in AI platforms, fortify emerging technology supply chains and spur adoption of open-weight models.
Artificial Intelligence
OPM memo pushes agencies to speed up hiring with AI
The federal human resources department is exploring new AI tools for USA JOBS, USA Staffing and other USA hiring tools as agencies use AI in their hiring processes, according to the memo.
Cybersecurity
Trump admin moves to block risky foreign technology from US power grid
A new executive order targets hardware, software and remote-access services and could require operators to isolate or replace equipment already in use.
Artificial Intelligence
Judge rules Anthropic supply chain risk designation was ‘illegal and baseless’
A Northern California judge found that the AI company’s products did not represent a meaningful threat to national security, making the Pentagon’s designation “unlawful retaliation.”
Artificial Intelligence
Commerce official warns of obsolescence without AI adoption
Job replacement due to AI is less of a threat than falling behind due to lack of adoption, Senior Advisor for Technology and Strategy Matheus Passos said.
Modernization
TMF will have $200M to spend next year without appropriations, official says
The federal government plans to announce new projects receiving modernization dollars at the end of next month, ahead of a possible expiration for the fund.
Updated
People
Intelligence agency employee pleads guilty to trying to share classified info with foreign government
Nathan Vilas Laatsch was allegedly disgruntled by the Trump administration and willing to share sensitive data with the foreign country. The FBI set up a dead drop operation to intercept the classified materials.
Artificial Intelligence
NSA wants access to ‘all’ AI models, top official says
The spy agency is taking a key role in the government’s new voluntary model-testing program, though its deputy director did not say which companies are participating.
Cybersecurity
ATF investigating ‘major’ cyber incident after ransomware group claim
The agency says the affected system was isolated from its broader network and eForms platform but has not disclosed whether data was stolen.
Policy
Lawmakers call for watchdog review of Transportation’s passenger privacy practices
The Department of Transportation “has never taken a single enforcement action related to privacy,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, said in a letter to the Government Accountability Office.
Cybersecurity
White House to soon launch water provider cyber protection program
The plans come as several states face water system intrusions from what some official suspect could be linked to Iran.
Artificial Intelligence
Contractor may have used AI to falsify payment dispute financial documents, appeals board finds
A legal expert told Nextgov/FCW the possibility underscores how the federal government is “fully unprepared for how bad” AI-driven procurement fraud is going to get.
Cybersecurity
FBI disables China-linked hacking tools used against US agencies
A hacking group used the tools to target networks belonging to NASA, the Federal Reserve, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Senate and the departments of Energy, Justice and Health and Human Services.
People