White House Elevates AI as Central to Government Efficiency Drive
WASHINGTON – The White House has formally integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its core government efficiency agenda, outlining new policies focused on data access, modernization, and workforce progress. The move signals a significant push to leverage AI’s potential across federal agencies, aiming to improve service delivery and reduce operational costs.
A key component of the initiative centers on bolstering data rights. The administration is prioritizing government data ownership, ensuring data transfer rights, and guaranteeing the ability for individuals to download, migrate, and access data in a usable format without incurring additional costs. This emphasis on data accessibility is intended to fuel AI innovation and development within the public sector.
Alongside this,the Defense Department is establishing a dedicated leadership role to accelerate the adoption of critical technologies. The Senate recently confirmed Mike Dodd as the first assistant secretary of defense for critical technologies, positioning him as the Pentagon’s chief advocate for unifying and advancing investments in these areas. Dodd, who will continue to serve as the Defense innovation Unit’s acting director, has outlined three core priorities: reforming DoD acquisition processes, strengthening the integration of critical technologies into key defense fields, and proactively planning for technology transitions from project inception.
Further illustrating the government’s commitment to modernization, the Census Bureau announced plans to test utilizing postal workers as census takers in readiness for the 2030 Census. Practice counts are slated to begin early next year in locations including western Texas, tribal lands in Arizona, Colorado Springs, colo., western North Carolina, Spartanburg, S.C., and Huntsville, Ala. While the idea has been previously considered, a 2011 GAO report raised concerns about cost-effectiveness due to postal employee compensation levels.
The IRS is also reporting “major progress” on its ongoing IT modernization efforts, though challenges remain. According to the Treasury Inspector General for tax Administration (TIGTA), the agency has yet to decommission any of its legacy systems – a primary goal of the modernization project. Despite this, IRS IT officials have indicated they are nearing that target, even as the agency spent over $39 million in fiscal 2024 maintaining these older systems, which comprise approximately 63% of its IT infrastructure.
Meanwhile, federal correctional officers have recently lost their collective bargaining rights, as the Federal Bureau of Prisons terminated its contract with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), effective immediately. AFGE officials warn this loss of union protections will likely worsen existing workforce issues within the Bureau of Prisons, including understaffing and low pay.
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