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The article discusses the 2024 Rising Stars, a group of early-career leaders in the government and public sector who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. The 15 individuals on this year's list have diverse backgrounds and responsibilities, including cybersecurity, voter registration, and budget management. The article expresses gratitude to those who made nominations and announces that profiles of the winners will be published in the coming weeks. Additionally, there will be a networking event where attendees can meet the Rising Stars. The article concludes by listing the names and positions of the 2024 Rising Stars. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the collaboration between OpenAI, Anthropic, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to enhance AI safety. Topics include the early access NIST will have to new AI models from these companies, the feedback and safety improvements NIST plans to provide, and the broader goal of advancing AI safety through technical collaboration and international recommendations.

The article highlights the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) need to improve tracking and labeling of electronic media, addressing concerns over insecure storage, theft risks, and recommendations from the Office of Inspector General.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced the creation of a new board, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Board, to oversee provisional approvals for cloud providers. This change is part of recent legislation that aims to make it easier for agencies to review cloud solutions and grant authorizations. The board consists of members from various government agencies and will play a crucial role in adapting the FedRAMP Program to address evolving cybersecurity needs and promote the adoption of secure cloud technologies across the government. The GSA also released a new roadmap for the program, focusing on customer service and streamlining the authorization process. [Extracted from the article]

The House of Representatives has passed a bill called the Comment Integrity and Management Act of 2024, which aims to address the issue of computer-generated comments in rulemaking proceedings. The bill does not seek to block comments generated by large language models, but rather establishes a legislative framework to manage the flow of computer-generated comments. The goal is to ensure that comments submitted electronically come from real people and not automated programs. The bill also requires agencies to publish a single representative version of mass comments and publicly disclose the number of computer-generated submissions. The Office of Management and Budget will issue guidance for agencies, and the Government Accountability Office will deliver a report to Congress on computer-generated content. [Extracted from the article]

Microsoft has developed an air-gapped artificial intelligence (AI) tool called GPT-4 for classified defense and intelligence customers. The tool will be available in the Azure Government Top Secret cloud and will allow users to draft documents, write code, and analyze information. This effort is the first time an isolated environment has been created specifically for the US government, providing users with their own private instance of the AI capability. While the model will be accessible via classified cloud-based systems, it will not be connected to the public internet. The goal of this project is to provide classified users with the same AI-powered tools available to non-classified government settings and the corporate world. However, the functionality still needs to be approved by defense officials before it can be implemented in classified US government systems. [Extracted from the article]

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has pledged that the agency's online student aid form will be ready for students to begin submitting applications on October 1, with improvements to address previous problems. The tool, which debuted in December, faced issues with limited uptime and bad data, leading to user complaints. Cardona acknowledged the frustration and confusion experienced by students and school administrators, but steered clear of apologizing for the disappointing rollout. Despite the streamlined format of the revised form, data shows that students are still facing challenges completing the application. [Extracted from the article]

David Shive, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the General Services Administration (GSA), has been recognized with the Government Eagle Award for his leadership and innovation in the federal government. Shive has been instrumental in implementing various technological advancements within the GSA, including internet connectivity on every desktop, open-source software strategies, and agile implementation. He emphasizes the importance of using the agency as a testing ground for new ideas before scaling them for external use. Shive also notes the evolving role of CIOs in both the government and private sector, with a focus on technology strategies to support the business mission. He highlights the misconception that government operates at a slower pace than the private sector, stating that the quality of technology outcomes in government is equal to or better than the private sector. [Extracted from the article]

Nick Sinai's career in government technology began during the 2008 financial crisis when he had to find a new job after Lehman Brothers collapsed. He was hired at the Federal Communications Commission to work on the National Broadband plan, which aimed to develop high-speed internet across the U.S. and transition to faster mobile technologies. Sinai later joined the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where he gained experience and knowledge that contributed to the book "Hack Your Bureaucracy." Today, Sinai works as an investment advisor and is highly regarded in the federal technology community for his understanding of policymaking and ability to identify impactful ideas. [Extracted from the article]

The Department of Labor will receive a $42 million investment from the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) to upgrade its system for managing workers' compensation for federal employees. The current system is outdated and causes delays. The upgrade will move the system to the cloud and utilize automation to improve efficiency. Additionally, NASA will receive a $5.87 million investment from TMF to enhance cybersecurity and modernize infrastructure. The TMF is facing potential budget cuts, but the Biden administration is seeking to extend and increase funding for the program. [Extracted from the article]

The National Weather Service (NWS) experienced a six-hour weather data outage on April 2 due to an intermittent hardware failure of a circuit in its College Park, Maryland data center. The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS), which is designed to switch operations to a backup system in the event of a failure, did not switch because the circuit failure was intermittent. NWS specialists manually switched operations to the backup system in Boulder, Colorado once they identified the root cause of the outage. The NWS is seeking funding to improve system maintenance and support, as well as migrate AWIPS to the cloud to enhance efficiency and flexibility for forecasters. [Extracted from the article]

The National Weather Service experienced a network outage that lasted over five hours, affecting some warning services during a severe weather outbreak. The outage occurred at multiple forecast offices across the country and coincided with tornado watches and warnings. The NWS switched network services to a different data center to restore normal operations. The cause of the outage is believed to be a hardware failure, and the agency is seeking a budget increase to improve its weather forecasting and information dissemination systems, including moving the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System to the cloud. [Extracted from the article]

Google Cloud has announced that it will no longer charge exit fees for customers who switch to competing cloud service providers. This move aims to challenge industry practices in data portability and licensing, particularly for companies with legacy software customers. While this change does not address the issue of restrictive licensing practices, it is the first time a hyperscale cloud provider has eliminated such fees. Regulators worldwide are investigating the cloud computing industry's business practices, including exit fees and licensing restrictions. The European Commission's Data Act, which came into effect recently, aims to reduce costs for businesses and administrations when they switch cloud providers. The US Federal Trade Commission has also received numerous complaints about egress fees and restrictive licensing agreements. The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is investigating the cloud computing market, focusing on Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. It remains to be seen if Google will face financial consequences from eliminating exit fees, but this move could pressure other providers to do the same and level the playing field. However, more needs to be done to address restrictive licensing practices in the cloud market. [Extracted from the article]

House lawmakers have introduced a bill that would establish federal guidelines for the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). The Federal Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Act would require federal agencies to use the AI risk management framework developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) when acquiring AI solutions. The bill also tasks the Office of Management and Budget with issuing guidance to agencies on incorporating the NIST framework into AI risk management and launching a workforce initiative to tap into AI expertise. The legislation aims to ensure responsible use of AI and protect individuals while unleashing the potential of the technology. [Extracted from the article]

White House budget director Shalanda Young expressed doubt about avoiding a government shutdown when the current stopgap bills funding government agencies expire. Congress will reconvene next week to address the potential shutdown and requests for supplemental appropriations for wars in Ukraine and Israel. House Republicans and some Senators have indicated that they would support a shutdown if their demands for new policies and funding for border security are not met. The federal government is currently funded by two continuing resolutions, with different expiration dates for discretionary funds at various departments. In the event of a shutdown, essential functions will continue, but some tech operations will be affected. [Extracted from the article]

According to a forecast from the Professional Services Council (PSC), civilian agencies are expected to see a nearly 20% reduction in their information technology budgets in 2024. The forecast also predicts a 0.5% drop in Defense Department IT spending and an overall 10.3% dip in federal IT spending. However, the PSC notes that IT spending cuts are expected to be less severe than overall spending reductions and that IT spending is expected to recover more quickly. The forecast also highlights potential discretionary spending cuts at various federal agencies, with modest increases expected at the Department of Defense, NASA, and other departments. The passage of full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2024 and the potential impact of the Fiscal Responsibility Act are also factors to consider. [Extracted from the article]