The Biden administration has been working over the past year to establish a framework for federal agencies to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, while the incoming Trump administration is also beginning to formulate a new strategy for AI applications in the federal government. During his campaign, Trump promised to repeal Biden's executive orders on AI and expressed a desire to support "the development of AI based on free speech and human welfare."
Image Source Note: Image generated by AI, image licensed from Midjourney
Trump's AI policy team is gradually taking shape, as he announced a series of personnel appointments earlier this month. Notable tech investor David Sacks will be appointed as the government's "AI and Cryptocurrency Commissioner." Sacks, along with another key appointment, Elon Musk, who will oversee government efficiency, are both co-founders of PayPal. Additionally, Trump announced that former Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios will serve as the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and become the President's technology advisor.
Former Microsoft executive Sriram Krishnan will also serve as a senior policy advisor on AI at the OSTP. During his first term, Trump signed several executive orders related to AI, and it is expected that he will revisit this topic through further executive actions.
Federal agencies are increasingly discovering applications for AI, having identified over 1,700 potential AI use cases, an increase of 500 from a year ago. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs are particularly proactive in exploring AI applications. Kurt DelBene, the Assistant Secretary for Information Technology at the VA, stated that the VA's AI use cases will continue to grow, with more applications expected to be added in the future.
For example, the VA is piloting "ambient dictation" technology, an AI-driven recording tool that will provide real-time documentation during appointments between veterans and healthcare providers. Nadia Smith, the VA's Chief Digital Health Officer, noted that over 200 vendors have proposed AI technologies during the AI challenge event, and the VA plans to launch the ambient dictation pilot in the near future.
According to the year-end impact report from the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer, the Biden administration has invested approximately $30 billion in federal AI use cases. Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the first government-wide policy to guide agencies on how to enjoy the benefits of AI while mitigating risks. Agencies have also appointed over 250 AI experts, aiming to recruit a total of 500 AI experts by the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
Clare Martorana, the Federal Chief Information Officer, stated in an interview that a significant amount of work has been invested in building a stock of AI use cases, but progress needs to be accelerated. She suggested that the Trump administration consider adopting a shared services model to speed up AI applications among agencies.
Key Points:
- 🤖 The Trump administration is forming an AI policy team, emphasizing the importance of AI development.
- 🏛️ Federal agencies have identified over 1,700 AI application scenarios, particularly in the health and veterans affairs departments.
- 💼 The Biden administration has invested approximately $30 billion in AI and appointed over 250 AI experts to support related efforts.