Author Archive

Alexandra Kelley

Staff Correspondent, Nextgov/FCW

Alexandra Kelley
Alexandra Kelley reports on emerging technology for Nextgov/FCW. Her most recent post was covering breaking news for The Hill where she focused on a variety of quantitative subjects, including Big Tech and the economy, in addition to covering the coronavirus pandemic since late 2019. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2017. If you have a tip you'd like to share, Alexandra can be securely contacted at alexak17.64 on Signal.
Artificial Intelligence

Survey: Human capital is a key barrier to government AI adoption

A vast majority of federal leaders see artificial intelligence as an important step toward better operations, Ernst & Young found.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Child social media safety, Data center moratorium, and more

This week’s new bills aim to regulate multiple aspects of digital safety — such as child social media access, AI bias and environmental harm — while others update larger legislation to support emerging technology.

People

VA’s former EHR lead indicted for concealing contractor gifts

The Department of Justice alleges that John Windom accepted and sometimes demanded various gifts while helming the electronic health record modernization at Veterans Affairs.

Artificial Intelligence

White House official advocates for a ‘give and take’ on state AI preemption

Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios argued the administration’s AI policy framework allows states to regulate some things about the technology — like child safety and state government procurement — while ensuring a national standard.

People

Trump names CEOs, nuclear fusion founders and Nobel laureate to tech advisory council

The announcement includes 13 of the possible 24 members that will make up the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Artificial Intelligence

GOP policy leads highlight child safety as key step in national AI legislation

Legislators are still working through options for what that legislation will look like, including the possibility of reviving the proposed moratorium on state AI regulations.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Anti-AI moratorium efforts; Supporting small AI businesses; and more

Lawmakers rolled out a number of proposals this week focused on deploying or reviewing uses of AI, including legislation to leverage the tech in the energy grid and democratize the industry landscape.

Artificial Intelligence

White House releases regulatory vision for AI

The framework includes seven AI policy recommendations for Congress that attempt to balance consumer protections with advancing AI development.

Artificial Intelligence

GSA, NIST partner to craft evaluation standards for AI tools in federal operations

Through the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, both agencies will help streamline the process to develop standards for artificial intelligence tools being used in government workflows.

Modernization

Energy opens applications for $293 million in research funding

A new RFA invites scientific researchers to apply for federal funding to solve pressing scientific and technological challenges and advance the Genesis Mission.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Improved biological data for research; Section 702 reform; and more

Legislation introduced this week looks to shore up standardization for biological research data, reauthorize and reform FISA Section 702, and offer more transparency into AI’s use in Medicare Advantage plans.

Artificial Intelligence

AI has created ‘almost infinite demand’ for memory components, Dell execs say

With core components of artificial intelligence infrastructure — namely memory — already scarce and in demand, Dell executives want policymakers to not create more obstacles via regulation.

Emerging Tech

IBM unveils new hybrid quantum computing architecture

Working with existing infrastructure, IBM is angling to expedite the benefits of quantum computing with help from classical architectures.

Artificial Intelligence

Siemens joins Genesis Mission

The infrastructure technology company is the latest to jump on the Genesis Mission.

Artificial Intelligence

Senator eyes updating NDAA with AI use guidance

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he and fellow lawmakers are discussing updating the National Defense Authorization Act with a framework for how artificial intelligence systems should be used in military operations.

Acquisition

State offloads Claude as underpinning model in flagship StateChat

The agency moved its chatbot to operate on OpenAI’s GPT 4.1, internal document shows.

Acquisition

Anthropic sues over a dozen federal agencies and government leaders

The company asserts that the administration’s actions to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk and order its removal from all federal agencies are retaliatory and not based on risk to national security.

Artificial Intelligence

Senators call on agencies to capture AI’s workforce impact

A bipartisan group of senators are asking the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau to update their national surveys to better understand artificial intelligence’s impacts in the culture and workforce.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: quantum computing research; AI workforce development; and more

Lawmakers introduced measures this week to criminalize AI-generated impersonation, modernize NOAA’s weather radio system and create a nationwide network of cloud-enabled laboratories.

Acquisition

Private sector, former military leaders urge Congress intervene in Pentagon-Anthropic dispute

Over 30 former military officers and individuals working in tech sent a letter to congressional leadership expressing concern over the Pentagon-Anthropic dispute and asking for lawmakers to take action to reign in executive power and set AI guardrails.