David Wennergren, CEO of the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council, said government agencies should identify the opportunities of advancing the adoption of artificial intelligence while addressing a number of challenges, such as having a trained workforce and ensuring the ethical implementation of AI tools.

“Effective AI adoption presents a powerful opportunity to accelerate decision making, improve evidence-based policymaking, allow research to find new answers and cures and improve customer experience,” Wennergren, a two-time Wash100 awardee, wrote in a commentary published Friday in Nextgov/FCW.

The chief executive of ACT-IAC noted that despite the release of the latest edition of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act scorecard, additional changes are still needed with a focus on tech modernization initiatives that measure progress in transitioning to the cloud.

The FITARA scorecard should incorporate cybersecurity measures and new approaches like zero trust, integrate customer experience improvement activities, advance the shift to digital platforms and make AI adoption a federal priority, according to Wennergren.

“As we ride the wave of enthusiasm for the adoption of AI tools, we have a corresponding moment of opportunity to move away from the current climate of ‘gotcha’ oversight that focuses on highlighting what has gone wrong, and instead focus on outcomes and measuring the progress of our plans,” Wennergren stated.

Register here to attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 21 and hear federal leaders and industry experts discuss the latest developments in the field.

The NASA Office of Inspector General recently called out the space agency the for the “disjointed” way it has organized and managed its high-end computing, or HEC, capabilities.

Unless “key changes” are implemented, NASA’s HEC resources will likely hinder rather than enable future mission priorities, the OIG said in an audit report released Thursday.

The audit found that NASA’s HEC capabilities are overseen by a single scientist within the Earth Science Research Program at the Science Mission Directorate. This scientist is responsible for HEC capabilities at two separate facilities — the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Ames Research Center — while concurrently handling Earth science duties.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer is not directly involved in governing HEC resources.

The OIG says that due, in part, to this mode of organization, NASA is unable to keep up with technological developments and computing requirements, resulting in its existing HEC resources being overburdened. Consequently, various teams across the agency have expressed hesitation to use the HEC resources at all, while others have opted to acquire and manage their own HEC tools, an approach that has cybersecurity repercussions.

To resolve these problems, the OIG recommended that NASA appoint a leader who will “determine the appropriate definition, scope, ownership, organizational placement, and structure” of the agency’s HEC capabilities. The inspector general also called for, among other things, the identification of technology gaps, the development of a strategy for HEC resource allocation and an inventory of HEC assets across the agency.

Cyber experts, government leaders and industry visionaries will speak about the dynamic and evolving role of cyber in the public sector at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Cyber Summit, which will take place in June. Register now to attend this important event!