Tag Archives: government-events

How to Win at AI

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The Administration's overarching AI guidance, Winning the Race: America's AI Action Plan, was developed to ensure the United States maintains a competitive edge in AI technology development and deployment. The plan and accompanying Executive Orders (EO) focus on three core priorities:

  • Building AI-ready infrastructure
  • Establishing and promoting a U.S.-technology export regime
  • Defining "bias" in models to ensure use of unbiased large language models in government

This plan follows a January executive order that pledged delivery of an AI Action Plan within six months. 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 →

Strengthening the National Focus on Cybersecurity

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The latest cybersecurity executive order, issued in June of 2025, aims to streamline past administrations' cybersecurity executive actions and strip mandates seen as overly prescriptive or ideological. It also introduces new guidelines and mandates to strengthen cyber practices within the government and private sector.

Key Updates to Historical Guidance

The order updates sanctioning policies from the Obama administration that allow the government to financially punish people involved in hacking activities that harm U.S. national security. This latest order "limits the application of cyber sanctions only to foreign malicious actors" to prevent the "misuse against domestic political opponents."

Cyber guidance issued in the waning days of the Biden administration encouraged government agencies to ramp up use of digital ID technologies. The latest EO strikes this mandate based on the belief that digital ID could lead to greater fraud and abuse. Continue reading →

It’s Really Time for REAL ID

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The REAL ID law, passed in 2005, was a response to the 9/11 attacks--an effort to make state-issued identification more secure and harder to counterfeit. This law requires the use of REAL IDs for air travel and admittance to federal buildings.

People may obtain REAL IDs via an in-person visit to a state Department of Motor Vehicles. The bolstered security of a REAL ID comes with the following added requirements:

  • Proof of identity and citizenship through one of the following: unexpired passport, U.S. Birth Certificate, Unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), or Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
  • Proof of social security number with a social security card, a W-2 form, or a pay stub
  • Proof of residency with a utility bill, mortgage statement, bank statement, or voter registration card

A REAL ID can be identified by a star in the upper right corner of the ID. The exact color of the star varies from state to state. Continue reading →