Author Archive
Tech
VA physicians’ and dentists’ association urges pause in new health record system rollouts
The group wants independent patient safety reviews and fixes at facilities already using Oracle Health before VA moves ahead with more deployments.
Tech
USPTO looks to AI agents to ease examiner workloads
The office’s Acting Commissioner for Patents Barry Schindler said putting agents in the hands of its examiners “can shorten that [review process] to one year, because you can pick up the phone and have conversations.”
Tech
AI offers Secret Service unique mission enhancements, official says
Threats against the Secret Service’s full-time protectees are up over 40% since last year. The service’s CIO and CAIO Chris Kraft said AI “can help us as we investigate those threats, monitor those threats [and] bring together correlations between seemingly disparate information.”
Tech
VA rolls out CLEAR login option and in-person identity verification pilot
The new offering will allow participating veterans to use facial recognition to access their VA.gov accounts.
Tech
Transportation works to ease fears about its new AI air traffic control tool
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., who has expressed skepticism about Transportation’s rollout of an AI-powered tool at D.C.-area airports, said he had “a good conversation” with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford about the new capability that helped to alleviate some of his worries.
Tech
Trump wants an ‘AI Force.’ What would that actually look like?
The president compared the proposed unit to Space Force, but offered few details about its mission, authority or place in the federal government.
Tech
AI ‘is changing the game’ in fraud threats and prevention efforts, SSA OIG official says
Chief Strategy Officer for the SSA Office of the Inspector General Chad Bungard said “the government is looking towards AI to fight fraud, and the criminals are looking towards AI to commit fraud.”
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Tech
VA watchdog uses AI to help compile healthcare facility audits
The Office of Inspector General has been using Copilot Chat “to review inspection data such as interview transcripts, documents, questionnaire responses, and physical observations.”
Tech
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.
Oversight
Lawmakers call for watchdog review of DOT’s passenger privacy practices
The Transportation Department “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.
Management
White House space transportation policy calls for integration with air traffic control modernization
The guidance directs the Transportation Department and other agencies to “implement a plan to integrate space launch and reentry management into airspace and traffic control modernization efforts.”
Tech
VA’s benefits system overhaul is running into some familiar problems
An audit found gaps in planning, cost estimates and oversight that could put the modernization effort further behind schedule.
Tech
GSA’s digital roadmap looks to enhance agencies’ services, CIO says
Efforts to speed up adoption of new capabilities have “disrupted the longstanding practice of how technology is driven into this government,” GSA CIO Dave Shive told Nextgov/FCW.
Tech
Transportation looks to AI to accelerate its modernization initiatives
Steven Bradbury, the agency’s deputy secretary, said AI has helped Transportation slash its software production timeline from 18 months down to 18 weeks.
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Workforce
Pentagon closes cyber apprenticeship applications early after receiving over 15,000
A Defense Department official told Nextgov/FCW that the agency is “rolling out additional apprenticeship positions over the next few weeks.”
Tech
VA’s push to shorten benefits forms needs more public input
The Department of Veterans Affairs is asking veterans and others to weigh in on proposed changes to two lengthy applications.
Tech
HUD's tech chief appears headed for Interior
The expected pick would replace the agency's recently departed technology chief and continue a string of leadership changes.
Defense
DOD's CIO says it's time to rethink the Pentagon's technology playbook
Kirsten Davies said her office is shifting away from its traditional role as a backend policy shop to become a forward-leaning strategic unit.
Tech
Pentagon launches ‘War Force’ initiative to onboard tech talent
The new recruitment effort was started in partnership with the Office of Personnel Management and operates under that agency’s larger Tech Force program.
Management
Lawmaker warns of administration’s ‘fetishization’ of Silicon Valley startups
Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., discussed his plans to scrutinize Trump-era contracting practices, revive federal IT oversight and push for AI policy.
