Digital Government
United Nations approves controversial cybercrime treaty
Last week, the United Nations voted to adopt a new cybercrime convention applying to all member states, drawing ire from civil society groups over data privacy risks.
Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft AI offerings now authorized at FedRAMP High
OpenAI’s GPT-4 will be available to agencies requiring FedRAMP High Authorization designations.
Exclusive
Emerging Tech
U.S. quantum cryptography standards set for release next week
NIST’s flagship post-quantum cryptography guidance that would help protect against decryption capabilities enabled by quantum computers aimed for release the week of Aug. 12.
Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft, Palantir partner to expand AI offerings to defense and intelligence agencies
The new suite of offerings will be available on Microsoft’s Azure Government and Azure Government Secret and Top Secret clouds.
Artificial Intelligence
Major tech companies pledge efforts to monitor AI-based content ahead of 2024 election
Senate Intel Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., received responses from 19 tech companies pledging actions like content moderation, airtight watermarking and strict licensing practices.
Artificial Intelligence
Justice broadens its AI data analysis abilities to process video, redact info
An expanded contract with AI software firm Veritone will allow the Department of Justice to streamline unstructured data for limited requested public access and investigative efforts.
Artificial Intelligence
Education Dept. offers guidance on developing AI for the classroom
Developer-educator collaboration and ethics are some of the pillars Education officials highlighted as crucial to building and deploying responsible AI solutions in the classroom.
People
CISA names Lisa Einstein as first chief AI officer
The new position is part of the agency’s larger strategy to incorporate responsible artificial intelligence solutions both internally and externally to critical infrastructure partners.
Artificial Intelligence
Party line differences emerge over AI oversight, international partnerships
At a Senate Commerce Committee markup hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, offered multiple amendments designed to reel in federal oversight in AI software development that he says could impair innovation.
Artificial Intelligence
NTIA advocates open AI model weights in report to White House
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration issued a report to the White House recommending open-source AI foundation model weights with sufficient risk mitigation frameworks.
Digital Government
Malicious foreign actors exploit US entities to push disinformation, IC warns
Communications and marketing firms can be pulled in as unwitting collaborators, the intelligence officials noted in a Monday call.
Emerging Tech
White House roadmap looks to guide emerging tech standardization
The Biden administration unveiled a to-do list for federal agencies developing standards for cutting-edge technologies, focusing on external communications.
Artificial Intelligence
Biden to receive AI national security memo outlining forbidden uses, opportunities for innovation
The memorandum expected to be delivered Friday to President Joe Biden will build upon existing artificial intelligence guidance while highlighting workforce needs and prohibited use scenarios.
Artificial Intelligence
Energy looks to balance AI electricity demands and clean energy goals
Leadership from the Department of Energy said that the demands of artificial intelligence systems of the U.S. power grid can help spur clean energy initiatives.
Policy
Biden looks to preserve tech, cyber legacy with veto threat
Experts see continuity in tech policy from the Biden administration to a possible Kamala Harris presidency, with possible divergence on some national security and antitrust issues.
Exclusive
Artificial Intelligence
Los Alamos charts a new path on AI research with Venado launch
Staff at the New Mexico laboratory took Nextgov/FCW inside their newest supercomputer installation and its potential to support artificial intelligence applications for both public and classified research.
Artificial Intelligence
Data can be a double-edged sword in generative AI, agency experts say
Though there are myriad federal use cases for generative AI applications, usability hinges on clean, organized input data.
Artificial Intelligence
Senators seek to advance AI capabilities at national labs
Proposed legislation looks to give the U.S. national laboratories a strong artificial intelligence infrastructure while acknowledging associated risks.
Cybersecurity
NIST will fire the ‘starting gun’ in the race to quantum encryption
Experts in the public and private sectors highlighted how to proactively transition networks to quantum-resilient standards.
Digital Government