The Pentagon’s New Battery Rule Could Reshape the Drone Market
The FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act added a country‑of‑origin filter that bars the Department of Defense from buying advanced batteries sourced from China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. The rule, Section 842, phases in for new acquisitions on Jan 1 2028 and fully applies to standard batteries by Jan 1 2029, with existing contracts winding down by Jan 30 2031. Compliance requires every cell component—cathode, anode, electrolyte, separator and the battery‑management system—to be sourced outside the listed foreign entities, effectively making most Chinese‑made drone batteries ineligible for defense contracts. Companies such as SES AI, Enovix and Amprius are scrambling to certify or re‑tool supply chains ahead of the 2027‑2028 deadline.
The UK Government Argued with Itself About AI in Public
The UK civil service launched the largest AI pilot ever, enrolling 20,000 employees across 12 departments for three months. The first report boasted a headline‑grabbing 26‑minute daily time‑saving – roughly two weeks per year per worker – and 82% of...
FMCSA Finally Launches New Registration System: Motus
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has officially launched Motus, a unified online registration platform that replaces legacy systems dating back to the 1990s. The new dashboard lets carriers apply for, renew, and manage their federal registrations in a...
A Different Way for Cities to Build Data Capacity
Cities face pressure to use data and AI, but traditional advice calls for extensive data‑governance foundations before action. Oliver Wise argues that urgent problems can be tackled first, using rapid analytics to deliver visible results and build capacity along the...
ProcureTech Pulse — May 20, 2026
Euna Solutions introduced Solicitation Advisor, an AI‑driven tool that reviews public‑sector RFP drafts for clarity and compliance. Ramp unveiled a fleet of AI agents that automate the entire procurement lifecycle, from request intake to contract compliance. Green Cabbage launched the...
Italy’s Multiplicity Principle: Moving Away From Model-Centric AI Governance
Italy’s Agency for Digital Italy (AGID) unveiled a full‑stack AI governance framework for public administration, shifting focus from model‑centric risk to the entire AI stack—including energy, chips, infrastructure, and applications. The guidelines, finalized after a public consultation in April 2026,...
DOJ Antitrust Division’s Reported AI Use Raises the eDiscovery Bar for HSR Responders
The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division has confirmed it is using artificial‑intelligence tools to detect and investigate anticompetitive conduct, extending its AI focus from rhetoric to operational practice. The disclosure arrives as the RealPage consent judgment, which requires the...
Dutch Central Bank Ditches AWS, Google, and Microsoft Cloud for Lidl-Owned Schwartz Digits as Europe Pushes Digital Sovereignty
The Dutch central bank, De Nederlandsche Bank, announced it will replace its core cloud services from Amazon, Google and Microsoft with Schwartz Digits, the data‑services arm of Lidl. The migration includes contracts with StackIT, a Schwartz Digits subsidiary already serving...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...