NIST, Air Force Move to Sole-Source Biometric Testing and Monitoring Contracts
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is negotiating a sole‑source contract with Schwarz Forensic Enterprises to provide ground‑truth analysis for 3,000 latent fingerprint images used in its ELFT program. The Air Force Academy is awarding a firm‑fixed‑price sole‑source contract to Oura (Ouraring Inc.) for 50 smart rings that monitor a range of biometric signals without AI processing. Both contracts emphasize the need for tightly controlled data environments and specialized hardware to meet stringent government standards. The procurements illustrate expanding federal reliance on niche biometric and wearable technologies.
OpenGov Streamlines SF Permits Amid Union NIMBY Push
OpenGov is bringing transparency and streamlining to San Francisco permits, one of the most notoriously disastrous bureaucracies in the world Of course Connie Chan and her public sector union paymasters are sniffing around: they're NIMBYs who don't want this to be...
DOT Announces $835.8 Million For ATC Facility Upgrades
The U.S. Department of Transportation is allocating $835.8 million to modernize air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure. More than $750 million will fund the replacement of eight aging ATC towers and TRACON facilities, while $85.8 million targets upgrades at 41 Federal Contract Towers. The...
ICE Gains Palantir‑Powered Access to Data on 20 Million Individuals
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced that agents can now query a Palantir‑powered platform containing data on 20 million individuals, raising the agency’s success rate in locating targets to almost 80%. The rollout, demonstrated at the Border Security Expo, intensifies debate...
Police Use of AI ‘Outrageous and Unforgivable Privacy Invasion’ – Say the Police
The Metropolitan Police has deployed a covert AI system from Palantir to track officers' movements, communications and data access, flagging nearly 600 cases, including 42 senior staff. The Police Federation condemned the practice as an "outrageous and unforgivable" invasion of...
Spire Beats Q1 2026 Forecast on Surge in Government Weather Data Contracts
Spire Global reported $15.8 million in GAAP revenue for Q1 2026, exceeding the high end of its guidance, and posted an adjusted EBITDA loss of $10.2 million, better than forecast. The beat was powered by robust government weather‑data sales and a fresh...
Senators Press DHS to Abandon Biometric Smart Glasses Plan for Immigration Officers
Democratic Senators Edward Markey and Jeff Merkley have written to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding the agency drop a $7.5 million smart‑glasses program slated for ICE and CBP officers. The wearable devices would embed facial‑recognition software, enabling covert, real‑time scans of thousands of...
Europe Needs Decentralized Digital Identity Infrastructure, Policy Paper Argues
European nations have advanced digital identity frameworks, but the EU still lacks a governance model to protect the identity layer from state or commercial capture, a new policy brief argues. The European Decentralization Institute proposes a decentralized, citizen‑controlled architecture where...
Vietnam Targets 2035 for Fully Digital Citizen–Government Interactions
Vietnam’s government approved a national program to digitize all citizen‑state transactions by 2035, placing electronic identification and population data at the core of public services. The plan, called Project 06, outlines six priority areas ranging from modernizing administrative procedures to expanding...
Citilog Turns PTZ Cameras Into an Automatic Incident Detection Network
Citilog, a Sensys Networks brand, unveiled PTZ-Analytics, an AI‑driven upgrade that turns existing PTZ traffic cameras into an always‑on incident detection network. The new feature automatically generates road‑surface masks by observing real‑time traffic, removing the need for preset positions on...
ITWeb TV: Africa Must Collaborate on Cyber Deterrents
Adam Smith, the British High Commission’s cyber lead for Southern Africa, warned that Africa’s rapid digitisation is outpacing the continent’s cyber‑security safeguards. He highlighted a severe cyber‑skills gap that limits both technical defenses and policy advising. Smith stressed that state‑backed...
UK Government Cuts Palantir Costs, Deploys In‑House Refugee‑Matching Platform
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has scrapped Palantir’s Foundry‑based refugee‑matching software for the Homes for Ukraine scheme, replacing it with a home‑grown system that saves the department millions of pounds annually. The move underscores a broader...
UK Govt Launches New AI Chat Tool in Gov.UK App
The UK government has introduced Gov.UK Chat, an AI‑driven conversational feature embedded in the Gov.UK App. The tool lets citizens type natural‑language questions and receive instant, reliable answers about services such as tax, transport and benefits. Early pilot testing highlighted strong...
Gauteng’s R124m CCTV Network Stirs Political Storm
The Gauteng provincial government has invested roughly US$6.7 million to install 960 CCTV cameras across townships, business districts and schools as part of a smart‑policing push. The Democratic Alliance (DA) reports that 28% of the network—269 cameras at 89 sites—are offline...
The US Is Using AI to Hunt Down Insider Trading on Polymarket
U.S. regulators are deploying artificial‑intelligence systems to investigate alleged insider trading on the crypto‑based prediction platform Polymarket. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has partnered with data‑analytics firms to scan on‑chain transactions and correlate them with public news feeds. Early...
Up to £20 Million National Funding for Referrals and Appointments Opens
NHS England has opened a national funding round of up to £20 million (≈$25 million) for 2026/27 to boost the Booking and Referral Standard, e‑Referral Service and NHS App. The money can be used to scale PIFU pathways, AI‑driven notifications, messaging and...
Ready or Not, AI Government Is Already Here
AI governance is moving from experimental projects to everyday government functions, from battlefield targeting systems like the Pentagon’s Maven platform to civilian applications in law enforcement, bail decisions, and immigration. The United States is automating roughly one million work hours...
How Welsh Councils Are Improving Services with Microsoft Copilot
Welsh local authorities are leveraging Microsoft 365 Copilot to boost productivity and service quality. Swansea County Council reported a 5,400‑hour time saving in just four weeks, while Rhondda Cynon Taf saw assessments completed nearly four times faster and a surge...
Dumfries and Galloway Modernise Pothole Reporting
Dumfries and Galloway Council has rolled out FixMyStreet Pro, a digital platform that lets residents instantly report potholes, signage and lighting faults. Developed by SocietyWorks, the service feeds reports straight into the council’s asset‑management system, Causeway One, and returns photo updates...
One Day at a Time: FDA’s New AI-Informed Inspection Pilot and What It Means for Industry
The FDA launched a pilot on May 6 2026 to conduct one‑day inspectional assessments of facilities flagged as low‑risk by artificial‑intelligence models. By late April, roughly 46 such inspections had been completed, most ending with a “No Action Indicated” outcome, though inspectors...
AI to Power Medicines Approvals but Humans Will Still Call the Shots
Australia’s 2024‑25 budget earmarks roughly $6.7 billion USD to cut red tape with artificial intelligence, targeting $225 million USD annual savings in medicine approvals and a $70 million USD investment in an AI‑assisted housing‑environmental approval tool. The Therapeutic Goods Administration will use AI...
AI Uptake Outpaces Expertise
Australian public servants are rapidly adopting generative AI for tasks ranging from email drafting to policy brief creation, yet a UNSW Canberra survey reveals a stark expertise gap, especially among senior officials. This knowledge deficit fuels concerns over privacy, bias,...
U.S. DOT Unveils $5 B Digital Overhaul of National Air Traffic Control System
The U.S. Department of Transportation, led by Secretary Sean Duffy, announced a $5 billion congressional investment to replace aging air‑traffic‑control infrastructure with digital touchscreens, fiber‑optic links and AI‑assisted decision tools. The overhaul, described as the biggest since the jet age, is...
Korea‑Jamaica $1.42 B Deal to Digitize Land Titles by 2031
Jamaica and South Korea have sealed a $1.42 billion agreement, funded by KOICA, to modernize the island’s land‑titling system. The project will install digital infrastructure, create a Land Administration Innovation Centre, and upskill thousands of local staff, targeting full implementation by...
Accenture Federal Services Teams with OpenAI to Fast‑Track Secure AI Across U.S. Agencies
Accenture Federal Services and OpenAI unveiled a strategic collaboration that will give U.S. federal agencies rapid, secure access to OpenAI’s advanced models. The partnership promises to shrink AI deployment cycles from years to weeks, leveraging 15,000 Accenture professionals and dedicated...
Texas LawPods Are Great. Imagine Adding the Insight of Texas Lawyers.
The Texas State Library’s Library Development and Networking Division has rolled out virtual court kiosks, dubbed “LawPods,” in county law libraries. Six sound‑dampening pods at the Harris County Law Library let self‑represented litigants privately Zoom into court, consult librarians, and...
Dodgy NSW Landlords Hit with Fines Through New Lease-Sniffing Tool
New South Wales has deployed a data‑matching “lease‑sniffing” tool to enforce mandatory re‑letting exclusion periods. The system cross‑checked listings from agents and private landlords, identifying about 600 suspect properties. Thirteen formal warnings were issued and twelve fines were levied, totalling...
Medicare Launches AI‑Driven ACCESS Payment Model, Pair Team Among First 150 Testers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the ACCESS program, a 10‑year AI‑enabled payment model that rewards health outcomes. Pair Team was named one of 150 initial participants, positioning the firm at the forefront of a federal shift...
White House Cyber Official: Identity Security Matters More than Ever in the Age of AI
White House cyber official Nick Polk warned that as AI becomes embedded in federal IT, identity security is the critical gatekeeper against attacks. AI tools can speed up exploitation but still need valid credentials, making strong authentication and monitoring essential....
Germany Allocates €1 Bn ($1.08 Bn) to Build Commercial EV Truck Charging Network
Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport announced a €1 bn ($1.08 bn) four‑year program to install commercial electric‑truck charging stations nationwide. The move aims to accelerate the shift of the $66 bn road‑freight market to battery‑electric vehicles and support the country's 2030 renewable‑energy targets.
4 Questions to Ask Before Turning to AI for Translation Services
State and local leaders are turning to generative AI to improve language accessibility, but officials caution that AI must be the right fit. Minnesota’s Department of Human Services created a four‑step framework to evaluate when large language models (LLMs) are...
Arthur Sidney: Broadband Is Becoming AI Infrastructure. Who Actually Controls It?
Broadband is evolving from a pure connectivity network into the delivery platform for AI‑driven public services such as eligibility screening, fraud detection, and telehealth. As federal and state funds pour into broadband expansion, agencies are simultaneously embedding vendor‑supplied AI models...
Accenture Federal, OpenAI Partner to Move Agencies From AI Pilots to Production
Accenture Federal Services and OpenAI have formed a strategic partnership to transition U.S. government AI pilots into production‑ready, mission‑critical applications. The collaboration leverages OpenAI's FedRAMP Moderate‑authorized models and Accenture's deep knowledge of agency data, systems, and workflows. A new development...
From AI Principles to Real Public Service Workflows
WSIS Forum 2026 approved my session: Responsible GenAI in Public Services: From Policy Principles to Deployable Workflows. Most governments now have AI principles and AI policy guidance. Too few have deployable workflows in digital government that improve service delivery. This session is built for...
Transit Briefs: WMATA, TTC, Valley Metro, Caltrain
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will roll out a redesigned website on May 17 and an updated Metro Pulse mobile app on May 31, aiming for faster trip planning and real‑time service info. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is...
Oceanside’s Energy Infrastructure Project Earns Smart Cities Award, with $26 Million in Projected Tax Savings
The City of Oceanside, California, earned a Smart 20 award for its Energy Infrastructure Upgrade Program, which bundles solar, battery storage, LED lighting, HVAC upgrades and smart controls. The initiative is projected to save $26 million in taxes, cut electricity use by...
Salesforce Lands $72 M Air Force Deal to Overhaul Cloud‑based Personnel Management
Salesforce secured a $72 million enterprise license agreement with the U.S. Air Force to modernize its personnel and logistics management through AI‑enabled cloud tools. The contract is part of a broader $5.6 billion Defense Department vehicle that aims to consolidate procurement and...
US DOJ Probes Nvidia GPU Smuggling After Encrypted Chats Expose China, Russia Scheme
Federal prosecutors have opened an export‑control investigation after encrypted WeChat messages showed a trio conspiring to ship Nvidia GPUs to China and Russia. The case, involving alleged profits of millions per order, arrives amid $420 million in penalties levied by the...
David Pemberton: Everlaw Prime Accelerates Public Records and FOIA Requests
Everlaw has launched Everlaw Prime, an end‑to‑end platform that streamlines public records and FOIA request handling for federal and state agencies. The solution replaces fragmented, manual processes with a unified intake, review, and e‑discovery workflow. By automating redaction and centralizing...
UK Gov Relies on AI to Draft Laws, Raising Risks
The UK government is so deep on generative AI it’s using chatbots to write laws. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. On Tech Won’t Save Us, I spoke with Will Dunn to discuss why the UK has gone so...
588 Or More New Public EV Chargers Coming To Texas
The Texas Transportation Commission approved $250 million for Phase II of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, adding roughly 588‑plus public fast‑charging ports across the state. Phase I previously delivered $53 million for 65 sites, with 15 already operational. New stations will typically...
Aligning State and Local AI Security Investments with the Cyber Strategy for America
The White House’s Cyber Strategy for America outlines six pillars that can guide state and local cybersecurity, especially pillars four and five focused on critical infrastructure and emerging technologies. A 2025 Center for Internet Security report shows 68% of state,...
Russia’s Human Rights Council Chief Says Total VPN Ban Is Impossible, Warns of Economic Fallout
Valery Fadeev, head of Russia’s Presidential Human Rights Council, told RBC that a complete ban on VPNs is technically impossible and would devastate the country’s digital economy. His admission underscores the tension between Kremlin censorship goals and the practical need...
Governments Are Backing Agentic AI
Governments, led by the UK, are rapidly embracing AI, with a particular focus on agentic AI—autonomous tools that can perform tasks without constant human oversight. A Dell Technologies and IDC study shows 71% of public‑sector decision‑makers view agentic AI as...
A European Central Bank Has Signed a Mega Deal with a Cloud Service Provider. The Problem for Google, Microsoft and Amazon? It’s Not with...
Europe’s Dutch central bank, De Nederlandsche Bank, announced it will migrate its essential cloud infrastructure from U.S. giants Google, Amazon and Microsoft to Schwartz Digits, the cloud arm of low‑cost retailer Lidl. The transition also involves adopting StackIT, a subsidiary...
FAA Orders All Its Airport Vehicles to Be Fitted With Transponders in Wake of Deadly Air Canada Express Crash at...
The Federal Aviation Administration is spending $16.5 million to equip all of its airside vehicles with transponders at roughly 264 U.S. airports after a fatal LaGuardia crash in which an untracked fire truck struck an Air Canada Express jet. The program...
Trump Admin Says New FAFSA Fraud Tool Blocked $60 Million in Fake Student Loan Applications
The Department of Education launched a new risk‑assessment tool on April 26 that embeds real‑time identity screening into the FAFSA process. Within weeks the system flagged roughly 300,000 suspicious applications, preventing about $60 million in fraudulent student‑loan requests. Officials say the initiative...
HMRC Brings in Quantexa for £175m Data Cleanse Ahead of AWS Move
HMRC is investing £175 million (approximately $220 million) to clean and modernise its data ahead of a massive migration to Amazon Web Services by 2028. The tax authority has signed a ten‑year partnership with British data‑analytics firm Quantexa to overhaul its core...
SKT, South Korea Ministry Target Defence AI
SK Telecom (SKT) has signed a partnership with South Korea’s Ministry of National Defence to create sovereign AI models for military administration and operations. The collaboration will leverage SKT’s A.X family of large language models, GPU‑as‑a‑Service infrastructure, and defence data...
Senate Revives Crypto Clarity Act Amid Aggressive Bank Lobby to Stall Bill
The U.S. Senate has reintroduced the Crypto Clarity Act, a market‑structure bill governing stablecoins, just as the American Bankers Association launched a coordinated lobbying blitz urging banks and their employees to contact senators. Crypto firms see the bill as a...