AI Integration Expands in U.S. Government

The Trump administration is integrating generative AI chatbots across federal agencies. The General Services Administration and the Social Security Administration have adopted ChatGPT-like technology for their employees, while the Department of Veterans Affairs is using generative AI to write code.

The U.S. Army has deployed a generative AI tool called CamoGPT to review documents and remove references to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Department of Education has proposed using generative AI to answer questions on financial aid and loan repayment for students and families.

Generative AI aims to automate tasks previously performed by government workers, with an estimated 300,000 job cuts from the federal workforce by year's end. However, this technology is not yet ready for many tasks, according to Meg Young, a researcher at Data & Society.

Currently, government chatbots are largely used for general tasks like writing emails and summarizing documents. However, agencies are expected to assign more responsibilities to AI soon. For instance, the GSA plans to use generative AI for procurement-related tasks.

The procurement process involves legal and bureaucratic procedures for government purchases from private companies. Yet, it's unclear if generative AI will expedite procurement. Legal experts may find AI too error-prone for many steps involving negotiations over substantial sums.

Generative AI may not reliably provide accurate legal reasoning. A 2024 study found that chatbots designed for legal research made errors 17% to 33% of the time. These issues persist in newer legal AI tools.

As the government increases its use of generative AI, it is crucial to remember that the technology is still in its infancy. Evaluations of AI's usefulness in government are ongoing.