The Daily Scoop Podcast

The White House marked nine months since the signing of President Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence with a new voluntary safety commitment from Apple and several new completed actions on the technology across the government. Apple’s agreement to safety, testing, and transparency measures outlined by the Biden administration brings the total number of AI companies that have signed on to the commitments to 16. These commitments were initially announced last year and include companies such as Meta, OpenAI, IBM, and Adobe. Federal agencies have completed a number of actions required within 270 days of the executive order’s issuance, including the first technical guidelines from the AI Safety Institute, initial guidance for agencies on AI training data, and a national security memo on AI. The national security memo was sent to the president, with non-classified portions to be made available later. Another expected report from the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration will address the risks and benefits of dual-use foundation models. Previous actions under the order included using the Defense Production Act for safety measures, setting up a National AI Research Resource, and launching an AI Talent Surge initiative. In other news, USAID has released a 10-year digital policy aimed at guiding the international development agency’s approach to emerging technologies in partner countries, from boosting internet access to embracing artificial intelligence. Administrator Samantha Power emphasized the need for U.S. leadership in promoting global internet connectivity and countering the misuse of technology by authoritarian governments. USAID plans to double its investment in its technology team and is promoting its new site, digitaldevelopment.org, which features ongoing work on digital ecosystem assessments. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

The White House will issue final FedRAMP modernization guidance on Friday, addressing changes in the cloud market and agency needs for diverse mission delivery. The guidance aims to reform the cloud security authorization program by focusing on strategic goals, including rigorous reviews and swift mitigation of security weaknesses by cloud service providers. The memo emphasizes an automated process for security assessments to reduce participant burden and speed up cloud solution implementation. Agencies and the General Services Administration (GSA) have deadlines ranging from 180 days to two years to align with the new requirements, ensuring continuous monitoring and the use of Open Secure Control Assessment Language (OSCAL). In other news, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a major reorganization of its technology policy functions. The chief technology, data, and AI officer roles will move from the Assistant Secretary for Administration to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), now also titled Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP/ONC). The 405(d) Program will transfer to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra stated the reorganization aims to clarify and consolidate critical functions, preparing the department for future challenges. The new ASTP/ONC office will also seek to fill permanent roles for chief technology, AI, and data officers. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

A North Korean hacking group, newly designated as APT45 by the FBI and Mandiant, has broadened its ransomware operations to target healthcare providers, financial institutions, and energy companies. Previously known as Andariel or UNC614, the group has been active since at least 2009 and supports the interests of the North Korean government. Mandiant, a subsidiary of Google Cloud, emphasizes the group’s rising sophistication and expanding target range, which now includes advanced technologies and critical infrastructure. The FBI is expected to release an advisory following Mandiant’s report, detailing the group’s tactics and historical focus on intelligence gathering from defense and research sectors. Additionally, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reports over 1,300 electronic devices, including iPhones, iPads, and computers, missing over the past three years. With two-thirds of its workforce based overseas, device security remains a critical challenge for the agency, reflecting a broader issue of mobile device management across federal agencies. Despite the losses, USAID remains committed to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars and rigorous digital asset security, particularly in challenging global environments. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

The Technology Modernization Fund has allocated $13.8 million to enhance nuclear emergency response capabilities at the Department of Energy and establish safety standards for artificial intelligence at the Department of Commerce. The Energy Department will receive $3.8 million to upgrade its radiological response data portal, aiding the operations of the Nuclear Emergency Support Team. The Commerce Department is granted $10 million to support the growth of its AI Safety Institute at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which was established to evaluate AI risks and formulate safety guidelines. In other news, the White House announced measures to protect children’s privacy and safety online, including efforts by multiple federal agencies to address image-based sexual abuse and other threats exacerbated by artificial intelligence. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is working on new methods to estimate and verify ages online, and the Department of Education has released guidelines to ensure nondiscriminatory use of AI in educational technologies. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

In today’s episode of the Daily Scoop Podcast, we delve into the ongoing impacts of the CrowdStrike IT failure. Last week’s outage has left several federal agencies scrambling to restore services. At the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, over 5,000 workstations were affected, though the agency's primary systems remain operational. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network also experienced disruptions but resolved issues within an hour. Further impacts were reported at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. In legislative responses, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green and Rep. Andrew Garbarino have requested CrowdStrike’s CEO to testify regarding the outage’s effects on federal operations. Additionally, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is spearheading a new initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into manufacturing to enhance resilience. NIST plans to invest up to $70 million over five years in a new institute under Manufacturing USA, aiming to advance technology development, workforce education, and shared infrastructure. Wrapping up the episode, we revisit a panel discussion from the recent event, AWS Innovate Day, featuring Charles Worthington and Vinay Singh, the first chief AI officers at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, respectively. They shared insights on the adoption of generative AI within federal agencies, emphasizing governance, risk management, and transparency. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

The U.S. global development agency, USAID, is intensifying its focus on artificial intelligence, exploring both its potential benefits and challenges. Following the recent announcement of a new policy on democracy, human rights, and governance, USAID Administrator Samantha Power underscored the importance of leveraging technology to bolster democracy. However, she also cautioned about the potential misuse of these tools by authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent. In her remarks, Power said, “This policy expands our toolbox so that we can keep up with fast-moving technology that can be weaponized against citizens, it codifies our intent to counter the rise of digital repression at its source.” She noted ongoing efforts to increase transparency and raise awareness about how new technologies and data are used. Power's comments followed her meeting with Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, discussing AI applications in global development, including successful deployments in Mexico and India. In cybersecurity news, National Cyber Director Harry Coker emphasized the goal of achieving federal coherence across government efforts in cybersecurity. In a CyberScoop interview, Coker, who took office seven months ago, highlighted the importance of collaboration over hierarchy within federal cybersecurity initiatives. He stated, “We lead by collaboration,” noting that the Office of the National Cyber Director prioritizes cooperative relationships over leading or dominating discussions. Coker discussed his regular interactions with Anne Neuberger and Jen Easterly, indicating robust ongoing dialogues among key cybersecurity leaders. He also mentioned collaboration with the Office of Management and Budget and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, focusing on setting cyber priorities for the fiscal year 2026 budget and promoting advancements like memory-safe computing languages. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

A Microsoft outage linked to CrowdStrike has disrupted several federal agencies. CISA and DHS are collaborating with CrowdStrike, Microsoft, and others to address the outages. President Biden has been briefed and is in contact with affected entities. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has closed all offices, warning of longer wait times and unavailable online services. The Justice Department and Department of Veterans Affairs are also affected, with some DHS staff facing login issues. The FAA is monitoring airline IT issues but reports no impact on operations. The Energy Department’s website is offline, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reports normal operations. In other news, the White House has announced nearly $100 million in commitments to enhance access to emerging tech talent. OSTP revealed pledges from the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Digital Response, and several universities. The NSF will provide at least $48 million, with $32 million for its Emerging and Novel Technologies program and $16 million for the Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of Technologies program. U.S. Digital Response aims to double its support for under-resourced state and local governments. Academic institutions like San José State University, Spelman College, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan, and New York University have committed to various tech initiatives. Stay tuned to the Daily Scoop Podcast for more insights and updates on these stories and other developments in the federal tech space.

Just days after it was revealed that the FBI used software from Israeli firm Cellebrite to break into the phone of the man who shot former President Donald Trump, the company announced a strategic acquisition to expand its U.S. government work. Cellebrite purchased Cyber Technology Services Inc. and is establishing Cellebrite Federal Solutions, aiming to boost U.S. operations and engage more federal departments. The company is close to announcing a federal agency sponsorship for a FedRAMP cloud accreditation, expected in 2025. Cellebrite already holds contracts with several federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, and the Defense Department. In other news, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is transitioning online users to Login.gov or ID.me sign-ins to access benefits and health care service accounts. This change will impact three million veterans and beneficiaries, who will no longer use usernames or passwords for My HealtheVet after January 2025. The VA aims to enhance security and provide a more user-friendly experience. Kurt DelBene, the VA’s assistant secretary for IT and chief information officer, emphasized that the transition is about empowering veterans with a modernized online experience. This move aligns with the Biden administration’s efforts to safeguard veteran data and improve federal customer service.

In today's episode, significant updates from federal agencies are highlighted, shaping the future of aviation and artificial intelligence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established a backup system for the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system following a major outage in January 2023. This critical step addresses one of the most severe disruptions to air traffic since the September 11 attacks and includes the formation of a NOTAM Task Force and revised maintenance protocols. These measures aim to prevent future outages and enhance the communication of flight-related information. Additionally, the Department of Energy's (DOE) new roadmap for its Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence for Science, Security, and Technology (FASST) program was released. This strategic plan outlines the DOE’s commitment to integrating AI into national security and energy innovation. It highlights efforts to expand AI-capable infrastructure and develop reliable AI technologies across its network of national laboratories. About The Daily Scoop Podcast We discuss the latest news and trends facing government leaders on such topics as technology, management and workforce. The program will explore headlines of the day as well as in depth discussions with top executives in both government and industry. The Daily Scoop Podcast is released every weekday afternoon. For the latest insights from Washington, you can subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pushing forward with its artificial intelligence initiatives by awarding sole-source contracts to Abridge AI, Inc. and Nuance Communications, Inc. These contracts aim to develop AI-driven healthcare dictation tools. The pilot program will employ ambient AI technology to transcribe clinical encounters and seamlessly generate medical notes. This initiative is part of the VA’s broader strategy to enhance healthcare delivery by integrating these tools with its electronic health record system, thereby improving efficiency and reducing manual data entry. Additionally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is transitioning its long-time online account users to Login.gov, a centralized identity verification service managed by the General Services Administration (GSA). This transition affects users who created accounts before September 2021. SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley emphasized that this move aims to enhance security and streamline access to SSA services. Over five million users have already made the switch, reflecting a broader federal effort to standardize authentication processes across agencies. Hear more on today’s episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast.