What New Guidance Says For Securing Agentic AI Systems
A joint report from CISA, NSA and allied cyber agencies outlines the security challenges of deploying autonomous, or agentic, AI systems. It details privilege, design, behavior and accountability risks that arise when AI agents act without human oversight. The guidance recommends integrating AI risks into existing security frameworks, using cryptographic identities, defense‑in‑depth, rigorous testing and tiered evaluation. Governance policies are emphasized as essential for legal accountability and rapid defensive response.
Health IT Leaders Eye AI, Data Sharing to Improve Affordability
Health IT leaders, convened by the Health IT Advisory Committee, highlighted data interoperability, streamlined prior authorization, and transparent AI as levers to lower healthcare costs. ONC National Coordinator Thomas Keane underscored affordability as a top priority alongside liquidity and technology evolution....
Bring AI Agents Into the Identity Fabric
Okta’s partner content warns that AI‑driven agents are emerging as a non‑human identity layer that expands the cyber‑attack surface. It calls for standardized AI lifecycle management to prevent machine‑speed threats from compromising agency missions. The piece positions the identity fabric...
Pentagon Lab Review Targets Bureaucratic Barriers to Military Tech
During its annual Lab Day, the Pentagon announced a comprehensive review of its laboratory network aimed at eliminating bureaucratic obstacles that delay the transition of experimental research into combat‑ready capabilities. The review follows a Jan. 9 memo from Secretary of Defense...
How to Thrive in Cybersecurity Without Burning Out
Taylor Kelley, Business Development Director at GDIT, discussed how cybersecurity professionals can thrive without burning out. She highlighted the challenges of imposter syndrome, gender bias, and the pressure of high‑stakes tech roles, especially for working parents. Kelley offered practical tactics...
New VA OIG CIO Aims for Mission-Centered Approach to Oversight
Lance Jenkinson has been appointed chief information officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG). A veteran federal technologist, he previously led enterprise IT and program‑management initiatives for the War Department and other agencies. Jenkinson...
Project ARIA Pushes AI From Concept to Soldier-Ready Capability
The U.S. Army’s Project ARIA, launched in March, is moving artificial intelligence from experimental labs to soldier‑ready tools. By partnering with industry and academia, the initiative targets high‑value use cases such as logistics, policy compliance, and daily workflows to cut administrative...
Former Federal Tech Leaders Push for Government Delivery Reform
April Harding, former IRS director of digital services, and Maureen Klovers, ex‑deputy COO of USDA Rural Development, left federal service in 2025 and launched We The Doers, a consultancy focused on government delivery reform. Harding’s tenure produced a five‑year digital...
GovCIO Media & Research Announces Finalists for the 2026 Federal Tech Leaders Summit Flywheel Awards
GovCIO Media & Research unveiled the finalists for its 2026 Federal Tech Leaders Summit Flywheel Awards, a program that honors senior federal IT officials for breakthrough work. The public voting window runs from May 1 through May 15, allowing the broader federal...
Commercial Vendors Tout Tech Roles in Artemis 2 Mission
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission relied heavily on commercial technology to navigate, communicate and maintain spacecraft resilience during its 10‑day lunar flyby. AWS GovCloud provided the compute power for precise trajectory analysis, while Rocket Lab’s advanced solar cells generated roughly 16 kW for...
Autonomous Drones Key to Marine Corps’ Future Logistics
The Marine Corps is building a new generation of autonomous unmanned aircraft systems to support distributed operations in contested environments. By shifting aviation assets from secure bases to rapidly moving austere sites, the service aims to complicate enemy targeting while...
Platform Engineering Pushes Government to ‘Production as a Service’
The Marine Corps’ Operation StormBreaker showcases a platform‑engineering approach that abstracts infrastructure and security controls, letting developers concentrate on application code. By delivering infrastructure and compliance as a service, the program cuts the time needed for Risk Management Framework (RMF)...
CMS Bets on Tech as US Healthcare Hits ‘Inflection Point’
CMS deputy administrator Chris Klomp told the Chamber of Commerce that the U.S. health system is at an inflection point and urged private‑sector innovators to bring commercial tech solutions to Medicare. He highlighted two new CMS initiatives: the ACCESS Model,...
Marine Corps Turns to AI to Help ID Pay Delays, Boost Retention
The Marine Corps’ 4th Logistics Group has deployed an AI‑driven tool called PULSE Check to capture real‑time feedback on pay delays, training gaps, and other stressors affecting reservists. The four‑minute mobile survey generates statistically reliable data instantly, replacing the months‑long...
How Tech Can Bridge Gaps in Rural Healthcare Data Struggles
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is pushing technology to cut costs and improve care in rural America. A new ONC mandate requires electronic health records to show prescription benefit information, giving patients price transparency at the...
Army Launches Joint Innovation Outpost to Accelerate Battlefield Capabilities
The U.S. Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps inaugurated the Lt. Gen. James Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost (JIOP) at Fort Bragg to fast‑track battlefield solutions. The outpost flips the traditional acquisition model by pairing soldiers directly with engineers and industry partners for rapid...
DHS Secretary Touts New Contract Review Policy
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has rescinded a policy that forced his office to approve any contract worth $100,000 or more, a move aimed at clearing a backlog of more than 1,000 delayed FEMA contracts. The change comes as the agency prepares...
VA Names OIG CIO, Taps Nominee for Department-Wide IT Chief
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced two senior technology appointments: Lance Jenkinson was named Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Management and Administration and CIO of the VA Office of the Inspector General, while the White House nominated Gary Shatswell as...
Inside the Navy’s Push for Resilient, AI-Enabled Command Centers
The Navy is overhauling its maritime operations centers (MOCs) with resilient cloud, on‑prem compute, modular technology and AI‑driven orchestration. Officials highlighted decentralized digital architectures that keep data and applications available even when satellite links fail. AI will automate data aggregation,...
Iran Cyber Campaign Targets Critical Infrastructure’s Weakest Links
Operation Epic Fury marks Iran’s shift from espionage to disruptive cyber attacks on U.S. critical infrastructure. Iranian‑affiliated APT groups are actively exploiting internet‑facing programmable logic controllers in water, energy and government sectors, causing operational disruptions and financial loss. The campaign...
First Phase of VA EHR Rollout Successful, Deputy Secretary Says
The Department of Veterans Affairs completed the first wave of its electronic health records (EHR) modernization in Michigan, activating systems at Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Saginaw and Detroit in April. Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence said the rollout revives a program...
NASA Sees Industry Opportunity in Proposed Budget Cuts
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told Congress that the agency can sustain its exploration and science agenda despite a proposed 23% budget cut to $18.8 billion for FY 2027 by leaning on commercial space services. The budget also includes $2.11 billion from the Working...
Coast Guard Launches RAS PEO to Unify Uncrewed Systems
The U.S. Coast Guard has created the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Program Executive Office (RAS PEO) to centralize management of unmanned air, surface, underwater and space assets. The new office replaces fragmented, siloed structures with a unified portfolio that mirrors...
Quantum Could Replicate AI’s Breakout Moment Across Government, Officials Say
The White House is shifting from basic research to commercializing quantum information science and technology (QIST), emphasizing public‑private partnerships, supply‑chain security, and workforce development. A Quantum Economic Development Consortium report shows government funding rose 310% to $12.7 billion in 2025. The...
‘Harvest Now, Decrypt Later’ Attacks Push Federal Shift to PQC
Federal agencies are accelerating a shift to post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) after a surge in “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks that could expose today’s encrypted data once quantum computers mature. A June 2025 White House executive order mandates agencies to establish PQC...
Navigating Federal Cloud Adoption
Federal health leaders are accelerating hybrid cloud adoption to boost scalability, security, and mission delivery. Former HHS CISO La Monte Yarborough and CMS infrastructure director Wade Zarriello highlighted how cloud strategies have evolved and outlined the next steps for agencies....
CMS Orders Medicaid Audits in Data-Driven Fraud Crackdown
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ordered all 50 states to submit a provider revalidation plan within 30 days, aiming to verify Medicaid providers and target high‑risk areas for waste, fraud and abuse. Administrator Mehmet Oz emphasized data‑driven...
HHS Watchdog Advises CIOs to Secure Data Before AI Implementation
The HHS Office of the Inspector General warned federal CIOs that AI projects must be preceded by robust data‑security controls. Agencies are urged to adopt operational AI governance, drawing on NIST guidance, and to shift from static policies to real‑time...
Federal Courts Use GIS to Improve Security, Visitor Experience
The Administrative Office of the Courts is deploying geographic information system (GIS) technology to replace fragmented security applications with a unified platform. The new system integrates incident management, public safety, and physical security functions, allowing real‑time data sharing across federal...
Agencies Urge ‘Trust and Verify’ as Supply Chain Cyber Risks Shift
Federal leaders at the CyberScape summit urged agencies to adopt a continuous "trust and verify" approach to supply‑chain cybersecurity. They highlighted a visibility gap, noting that 60‑65% of Defense Logistics Agency partners are small businesses with limited cyber budgets. Officials...
Federal Agencies Navigate Tradeoffs Between AI Speed, Security
Federal agencies are accelerating AI deployments to improve mission outcomes, but they must navigate stringent security, data‑privacy, and governance constraints. The USDA leveraged AI and NASA’s NAIP imagery to map poultry farms and predict avian‑flu hotspots, enabling targeted inspections that...
Federal Cyber Leaders Urge Faster AI Adoption to Counter Evolving Threats
Federal cyber leaders warned that agencies are lagging behind the rapid evolution of AI‑driven threats and called for faster AI adoption. Keith Busby, acting CISO at CMS, emphasized the need to embed AI in security operations while preserving human decision‑making. Anil Chaudhry...
Critical Infrastructure Attacks Push Agencies to Secure OT
Federal agencies are intensifying efforts to protect operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices as cyber threats become more sophisticated. The EPA issued an advisory warning of Iranian‑affiliated actors targeting OT/IoT infrastructure, while the Navy is transitioning to...
Agencies Shift Toward Automated Identity Management to Bolster Zero Trust
Federal agencies are accelerating zero‑trust adoption by making identity management the core of their cybersecurity architecture. The Indian Health Service (IHS) is deploying satellite links and offline‑caching software to keep clinician credentials verified in remote clinics like the Grand Canyon...
White House Pushes ‘Action-Oriented’ Cyber Strategy to Deter Threats
The White House unveiled an action‑oriented National Cyber Strategy aimed at deterring cyber adversaries and protecting American victims. Senior ONCD official Seth McKinnis highlighted six strategic pillars, with deterrence as the first, and emphasized the need for swift, aggressive responses. President...
VA Uses Automation, AI to Process Record Benefits Claims
The Veterans Benefits Administration reported a record 3 million Compensation and Pension claims processed in FY 2025 and 1.418 million disability claims through March 2026, driven by AI‑assisted tools and automated decision‑support systems. Claim accuracy rose to 93.95% while average completion time dropped 42%...
Modernizing Federal Contact Centers
Federal agencies are accelerating modernization of contact centers to boost citizen service, operational efficiency, and security. Leaders from the FBI and Maximus discuss integrating AI, automation, and advanced analytics to create agile, mission‑ready platforms. The initiative aims to improve accessibility,...
FY27 Budget Maps Out Plans for Federal IT Modernization
The White House’s FY27 budget proposal earmarks $210.4 billion for Pentagon RDT&E, a 45% increase aimed at AI, autonomous drones, and next‑generation missile defense. The Department of Homeland Security receives a $63 billion request, including $2.1 billion for Coast Guard Force Design 2028...
AI Decision Support System Aims to Improve Battlefield Triage
GovCIO Media & Research introduced APPRAISE, an AI‑enabled decision‑support system designed to help combat medics triage casualties and assess hemorrhage risk in real time. By analyzing vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure, the tool predicts the likelihood...
VA Deputy Secretary on Resuming EHR Rollout
The Department of Veterans Affairs resumed its Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program this weekend after a three‑year pause. Deputy Secretary and Acting CIO Paul Lawrence highlighted a renewed emphasis on governance, user experience, and measurable outcomes. The rollout will...
Former GSA, NASA Leader on Federal Acquisition Leadership
Mary Davie, a former senior executive at the General Services Administration and NASA, reflected on her more than 30‑year federal career focused on procurement and acquisition leadership. She oversaw major purchasing platforms, shared‑services initiatives, and helped shape acquisition policy and...
Why Federal Tech Leaders Are Wearing Many Hats
A GovCIO Media & Research analysis found that at least 10 of the 15 cabinet‑level agencies have senior technology leaders holding multiple C‑suite titles such as CIO, CTO, CDO, CAIO or CISO. The practice, exemplified by officials like Secretary of...
Federal Agencies Modernize Contact Centers to Improve CX
Federal agencies, including the VA and SSA, are shifting to digital‑first, multichannel contact‑center strategies to streamline service delivery and improve customer experience. The VA’s Veterans Experience Office is working to let users start online and seamlessly transition to voice or...
Inside SSA’s Digital First Strategy to Modernize Services
The Social Security Administration’s Digital First initiative is overhauling service delivery through automation, expanding 24/7 online access and cutting call wait times. The my Social Security portal now supports continuous access, pushing total accounts past 100 million and generating 287 million transactions...
Inside the Army’s FUZE Model for Rapid Tech Deployment
The U.S. Army launched the FUZE innovation engine last fall to accelerate the discovery, development, and fielding of emerging technologies. FUZE consolidates previously fragmented Army innovation efforts and overlays them with a venture‑capital‑style investment model. By making multiple small, calculated...
Commerce Unifies Financial Systems With BAS Cloud Platform
The U.S. Commerce Department’s Business Applications Solution (BAS) is consolidating disparate finance, acquisition and reporting systems into a single cloud platform. Early adopters like NOAA and the Census Bureau have used real‑time lessons to accelerate deployment, with the Census going...
CDC’s AI Strategy Embraces Speed, Flexibility
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled a four‑year artificial‑intelligence strategy aimed at modernizing its data infrastructure and boosting public‑health capabilities. Acting Chief AI Officer Travis Hoppe highlighted that years of groundwork now position the agency to adopt AI...
Study Highlights Untapped Potential of National Guard in Cyber Missions
A new study reveals that 32 Title 32 authorities could let National Guard cyber teams support Department of Defense missions without major policy changes. While Guard units traditionally operate under Title 32 for drills, they can already surge under Title 10, but the...
Marine Warfighting Lab Turns Lessons From Ukraine Into Future Strategy
The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, led by Brig. Gen. Simon Doran, is translating combat lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East into a forward‑looking strategy. The lab’s insights feed advanced modeling and simulation tools that evaluate new concepts before deployment. A...
VHA Deploys Agentic AI Operating System to Improve Care Delivery
The Veterans Health Administration has rolled out an agentic AI operating system across more than 150 VA medical centers and outpatient facilities, serving up to 18 million veterans. Built on Salesforce’s Slack platform, the solution unifies clinicians, administrators and caregivers, automating...