Emerging Tech
Four Ways to Accommodate the Massive Growth in Space Launches
One suggestion: expand the number of launch sites.
Artificial Intelligence
How much did AI really impact the election?
AI tools can produce realistic deepfakes and synthetic audio that influence public opinion.
Digital Government
Senators call for watchdog to investigate TSA’s use of facial recognition
In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General, 12 senators warned that the deployment of facial biometrics at every U.S. airport could create “one of the largest federal surveillance databases overnight without authorization from Congress.”
Cybersecurity
FCC leaders skirt call for wiretap security reform, hope to ‘go deeper’ on telecom breach briefings
Lawmakers have called on the agency to take up a rulemaking to rethink wiretapping laws amid the hacks that have ensnared several telecom companies, but top FCC officials have not signaled any forthcoming action yet.
Artificial Intelligence
NIST sets up new task force on AI and national security
The Testing Risks of AI for National Security Taskforce will bring federal expertise to test artificial intelligence models in critical use cases.
Ideas
Good luck, Department of Government Efficiency
COMMENTARY | It sounds like a federal agency, but its job is to get rid of them.
Emerging Tech
More than a decade later, NIST’s home of the future is still ahead of its time
NIST wanted to show that energy efficiency did not have to make a residence look like a spaceship, or be uncomfortable to live in.
Exclusive
Policy
FCC to propose first undersea cable security overhaul since 2001
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel cited rising national security risks in conflict zones as a catalyst for the proposed updates to submarine cable regulations.
People
Intelligence IGs head for the exit before Trump’s return
Trump fired five inspectors general during his first administration.
Policy
What Trump 2.0 means for tech and AI regulation
Tech CEO Elon Musk’s growing influence in the Trump transition was at the forefront of discussions.
People
O'Malley to step down as SSA chief this month, seeks political role
Martin O'Malley won plaudits for reinvigorating a resource-starved SSA, but will leave his post early.
Modernization
House passes veterans’ package without EHR accountability measures
A spokesperson for the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee said measures related to the electronic health record system were removed from the legislation “due to a lack of political viability in both the House and Senate.”
Ideas
White House, cyber leaders to talk priorities, road ahead
The GovExec Cybersecurity Futures Forum Wednesday will feature cyber leaders from across government.
Emerging Tech
Bipartisan quantum funding bill advances from committee
The Department of Energy Quantum Leadership Act of 2024 will head to the Senate floor as part of a push to continue federal investment into quantum computing research and development.
Cybersecurity
New TSA cyber rules leave lawmakers, industry hopeful for happy medium regulations
The agency argues its Nov. 8 proposed rulemaking will dually address the transportation industry’s regulation concerns while ensuring they’re suitably protected from hackers. Others want to wait and see.
Emerging Tech
Microsoft and Atom Computing unveil 24-qubit quantum machine
The companies bet on neutral atoms and logical qubits to enable near-term, hybrid quantum computing.
Artificial Intelligence
Trust and security are top concerns in the public sector’s use of generative AI, survey says
A survey released by Amazon Web Services found that 83% of public sector respondents reported that their organizations are concerned about public trust in the new technology.
Policy
Trump’s ‘DOGE’ commission promises mass federal layoffs, ending telework
The incoming administration will handle large-scale RIFs with compassion, Vivek Ramaswamy says.
Emerging Tech
Lawrence Livermore’s El Capitan supercomputer is officially fastest in the world
El Capitan’s data processing abilities represent a major advancement in scientific research, particularly for managing the nuclear stockpile.
Cybersecurity