8 Facts About Presidential Inaugurations

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Every four years, the United States swears in the incoming president with a ceremony steeped in tradition, history, and pageantry. The presidential inauguration is not just a power transfer but a moment reflecting the nation's resilience, unity, and continuity. Over the years, this ceremony has featured memorable, quirky, and sometimes downright astonishing moments. Let's dive into some fun facts about presidential inaugurations!

1. The First Inauguration

The very first inauguration took place on April 30, 1789, when George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States. The ceremony was held in New York City, the nation's capital at the time, on the balcony of Federal Hall. Washington, known for his humility, reportedly trembled with nervousness as he took the oath of office. Continue reading →

AI in 2024 and Beyond

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Driven both by genuine need and by Executive Order, agencies across government made great strides in 2024 to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their IT systems and business processes to increase efficiency and introduce new insights for data-driven decision-making.

AI is widely used across government in a variety of capacities, including fraud detection at the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration, public health data analysis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, powering chatbots to improve customer service at General Services Administration and Veterans Affairs, and more. Continue reading →

Focus on Citizen Experience Results in Improved Customer Satisfaction

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The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Federal Government Study 2024 found that consumers' satisfaction with government services is at a seven-year high. In fact, the government experienced its largest gain in citizen satisfaction over a four-year period--a net 9.9 percent--since the ACSI began conducting these studies.

This rise in satisfaction is a result of a long-term, cross-administration focus on improving customer service to citizens. The bipartisan 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act was passed during the first Trump administration and enforced during the Biden administration. This law required agencies to modernize websites, digitize services and forms, accelerate the use of e-signatures, and adopt shared standards and services. Both administrations made customer experience core goals of their respective President's Management Agenda. The Biden administration issued a customer experience executive order that provided additional guidance and mandates for improving the quality of services the federal government delivers. Continue reading →

The State of Cybersecurity in the States

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State and local agencies are some of the most attractive and vulnerable targets for cyber criminals. In 2023, malware attacks increased by 148%, and ransomware incidents increased by 51%. These agencies are targeted because they hold valuable personal data on citizens and control critical services--yet their security efforts have historically been underfunded and under-resourced. However, the tide may be changing.

A report on the ransomware experiences of state and local government in 2024 showed a dramatic decrease in the number of those organizations that were impacted this year. The report found ransomware attacks impacting 34% of state and local governments, marking a sharp decrease from the 69% affected in 2023. Let's take a look at some of the trends and activities that are fueling the improvement in state and local cybersecurity. Continue reading →

AI and National Security

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) can greatly improve human efficiency and deliver insights that drive decision-making. However, for all of its benefits, AI also introduces security risks both for the organizations that are using it and for the nation at large. The National Security Memorandum (NSM) on Artificial Intelligence, released in the fall of 2024, details national security strategy and policy toward AI. While this particular guidance is aimed at agencies directly involved in national security, its three high-level policy objectives should be part of every agency's AI strategy.

  1. Maintain U.S. leadership in the development of advanced AI systems

A key focus is on not just using AI but driving responsible AI development. To do so, the U.S. needs an AI-capable workforce. This means having the experts that develop the technology as well as training the operational and tactical workforce in how to best use it. Continue reading →