The Fed Mission Success Round Up: IRS Improvements Since COVID; AI Executive Order Traction; and VA High Employee Satisfaction

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

IRS Digs Out From Pandemic-Era Challenges

The Internal Revenue Service is answering more calls and providing help to taxpayers at levels not seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but still has challenges meeting its hiring goals, according to this recent Federal News Network article.

Biden Administration on Track Meeting Initial AI Order Actions

Federal agencies are making headway on the first actions required under President Joe Biden’s AI executive order, meeting early deadlines to build up the federal AI workforce, fund government AI projects, and convene AI officials across the federal government.

Improving Government Capacity is Key for AI Deployment, Experts Tell Congress

To harness that potential of AI, governments need to invest in capacity and enhance procurement efforts, witnesses stressed to lawmakers during a hearing held by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee last week.

Lawmakers Request Extra $10M for NIST AI Research

Four senators are calling for their fellow lawmakers to approve additional funding to help establish the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, as part of fiscal 2024 funding legislation.

America’s Enemies Could Poison AI Data, NIST Warns

Computer scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are warning about the potential for adversaries to poison artificial intelligence with bad data.

More Federal Agencies Join in Temporarily Blocking or Banning ChatGPT

The Department of Energy’s CIO has temporarily blocked access to ChatGPT for its employees. It is one of the latest agencies to reveal such a move, which comes as federal officials wrestle with how to govern and use generative AI models.

VA’s IT Shop Touts Top Spot on Governmentwide Scorecard in Push for Higher Employee Satisfaction

The Department of Veterans Affairs spent much of last year making its IT shop one of the most attractive places to work in the federal government. Based on recent data, the VA’s Office of Information and Technology is achieving that goal.