The Fed Mission Success Round Up: New Task Force for Detecting AI-Generated Content; Big DoD AI Contract; and VA Updates FY 2025 Healthcare Budget Shortfall

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.

State Department Reveals New Interagency Task Force on Detecting AI-Generated Content

The State Department recently announced a new, government-wide task force focused on content authentication that will streamline the government’s international outreach on content authentication, which could help combat technology like deepfakes, according to FedScoop.

Justice Department OIG Calls Out Lack of An Updated Public AI Strategy

The Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General recently called out the agency’s lack of an updated public strategy for artificial intelligence and underscored the need to be proactive in a report on its management and performance challenges.

Lawmaker Wants FCC to Create AI Tool for Identifying Scams

A new legislative proposal from Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah., would direct the FCC to develop an online platform that can assess submitted communications and then rate the likelihood that they are scam attempts, according to NextGov.

DoD Reveals First Draft of $15B Artificial Intelligence Contract

The Defense Department has given industry a first glimpse at how it plans to compete a potential $15 billion program whose mission is in the name -- Advancing Artificial Intelligence Multiple Award Contract, according to NextGov.

VA Updates FY 2025 Healthcare Budget Shortfall to $6.6B, Nearly Half Its Previous Estimate

The Department of Veterans Affairs is cutting its request for additional funding by almost half after officials told lawmakers that a shortfall in its healthcare budget wasn’t as severe as earlier estimates showed. The VA is now asking Congress for a $6.6 billion supplement to its fiscal 2025 budget.

Energy Department Has a New Deputy CIO

Dawn Zimmer, who previously directed business partnership services and focused on information technology at the Federal Aviation Administration, announced in a LinkedIn post last week that she was filling the principal deputy chief information officer position at the Energy Department.