Tag Archives: digital transformation

Making Sure Data Centers are Good Neighbors

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is having a huge impact on how states and cities deliver services and manage communities. The computing power needed to support this technology requires the construction and management of a multitude of new data centers. This infrastructure has proven to be both a blessing and a curse for localities.

Data centers can transform the economics of a region, bringing a host of benefits to communities including job creation, tax revenue, and infrastructure upgrades, including investments in clean energy. Additionally, areas with data centers tend to attract companies building technology hubs that provide additional highly paid and highly skilled jobs. Continue reading →

Improved Technology Means Improved Citizen Service

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A focus on government efficiency should benefit citizens by yielding improved service and better stewardship of tax dollars. Efforts have been underway across government for decades to improve service to the citizen. With the government embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and new security paradigms, the digitization of government continues to accelerate in support of citizen service.

Paperwork Reduction

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 kicked off the government's focus on reducing both paperwork and manual effort. Now a new piece of legislation may accelerate efforts further. The ePermit Act was introduced to create an interagency data system to serve as a single point for tracking real-time data on environmental reviews. Currently, agencies have siloed systems that make it difficult to share information, even though permitting often spans multiple agencies. This act responds to the administration's desire to streamline regulatory compliance, easing burdens on industry. Continue reading →

Blockchain’s Role in Blocking Fraud

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Blockchain technology has gained traction across the U.S. government as a practical tool for multiple diverse purposes. From streamlining procurement to preventing fraud, agencies are increasingly exploring how blockchain can enhance transparency, security, and efficiency in federal operations. However, with innovation comes risk. The government is also looking into how to ensure the technology is not misused to conceal illicit activity, commit fraud, or obscure accountability.

Fraud Prevention

Since every transaction in a blockchain is recorded permanently, malicious actions are traceable, which increases accountability. Each transaction is unique and chronologically linked, meaning a record cannot be copied, altered, or duplicated without triggering detection. This level of traceability allows governments to confirm that payments are going to the intended recipients. For foreign aid, payments can be tracked not just to the intended country but as they continue on from there. In terms of domestic benefits, blockchain can verify the identities of welfare recipients, while simultaneously confirming their eligibility. Continue reading →

5G at 5

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In 2020, we saw the beginning of broadly available 5G connectivity. Over the next two years, 5G networks reached the mass market, with national coverage by major carriers and expansion to rural areas from the initial implementation in urban centers. With five years of 5G under our belts, we wanted to take a look at how it has impacted government operations.

Disaster Response

Reliable data connectivity, faster speeds, and lower latency--all critical in disaster response--are hallmarks of 5G. More and more, responders are using drones and AI-enabled technologies to do situational assessments before, during, and after disasters. These technologies need the connectivity and speed of 5G to provide the expected value, and carriers have carved out parts of their networks to provide first responders access to it.

In response to recent California wildfires, the Los Angeles Fire Department used 5G hotspots and routers to power their communications. Similarly, after Hurricane Helene led to widespread flooding across Asheville, North Carolina, the town's police department used 5G hotspots to connect their heavy-lift and search-and-rescue drones in providing recon and assessments. Continue reading →

Blockchain on Your Block

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Beyond its use for cryptocurrency, Blockchain is proving to be a valuable technology to help modernize government service delivery. The key quality of blockchain is its ability to record transactions immutably. Managing transactions is a key function of state and local governments, and as such, they are looking for ways to incorporate blockchain as part of their digital modernization processes.

The decentralization of blockchain provides a level of transparency and accountability not typically associated with government. It can give citizens more control over their data and let them more easily check the status of requests they've made of their state and local governments. Continue reading →