An interview with the General Services Administration’s first chief AI officer

Following the issuance of the Biden administration’s executive order on AI, OMB guidance has called for all federal CFO Act agencies to appoint chief AI officers to coordinate their agency’s use of AI, promote AI innovation and manage AI risks, while also serving as vice chairs of their agency’s AI governance boards. GSA was one of the first agencies to name a CAIO, giving its chief data officer Zach Whitman a dual hat as its AI officer. Whitman, also a former CDO for the Census Bureau, spoke with FedScoop’s Madison Alder and Rebecca Heilweil about the new role, how he’s managing both jobs, what he hopes to get done as GSA’s first chief AI officer, and much more. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.