Week in Review (12/7/24)

🎉 One Year of Public Sector AI: Week in Review! 🎉

This is the 1-year anniversary of the weekly updates, first as weekly LinkedIn posts and then as this newsletter.  Thanks for following along over the last year.

Federal

• David Sacks tapped as Trump's AI and crypto czar, signaling a tech-friendly regulatory agenda President-elect Donald Trump appoints David Sacks as AI and cryptocurrency czar, signaling a pro-industry shift toward business-friendly regulations in fast-growing technology and finance sectors.
• House Financial Services Committee leaders eye AI regulatory push Reps. McHenry and Waters introduce bills to assess AI's impact on finance and housing, targeting areas like fraud detection, loan underwriting, and bias mitigation, while advancing U.S. AI leadership.
• GenAI use in US public sector on the rise, survey by Hoover Fellow suggests A Hoover survey reveals 25% of U.S. public servants use generative AI, with adoption expected to double. Workers report productivity gains, but training and robust policies remain urgent needs.
• GenAI automates Space Force data discovery The Space Force uses GenAI tools like GURU to automate data discovery in air-gapped environments, enhancing intelligence operations by simplifying access to and analysis of unstructured data.
• Sen. Ted Cruz takes aim at foreign influence on AI policy Sen. Ted Cruz investigates whether the U.K.-based Centre for the Governance of AI violated foreign agent laws while influencing U.S. AI policy. He criticizes international AI collaborations as overreaching.
• Senators introduce bill to ‘limit Big Tech monopolies’ in DOD cloud and AI procurement Senators introduced the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act to curb Big Tech monopolies in Pentagon procurement, fostering innovation, security, and competition in AI and cloud contracts.
• TMF award to help OPM modernize COBOL code via AI OPM will modernize its COBOL-based retirement systems using AI to rewrite code, reducing programmer reliance and improving long-term operations, funded by an $18.3M Technology Modernization Fund award.
• Criminals use GenAI to facilitate financial fraud GenAI empowers criminals to craft realistic scams, including AI-generated texts, images, audio, and videos for fraud schemes. The FBI urges vigilance and outlines protective measures for the public.

State/Local

• NJ AI Task Force report addresses workforce New Jersey's AI Task Force issued recommendations on AI safety, equity, and workforce training. Initiatives like the NJ AI Assistant and public-sector upskilling reflect the state’s ongoing commitment to responsible AI.
• Georgia Senate completes comprehensive study on AI policy and innovation Senator John Albers announces the completion of Georgia's AI study committee report, emphasizing ethical AI use, workforce development, and policy frameworks to foster responsible innovation across sectors.
• How U.S. cities are using AI to solve common problems Despite challenges, U.S. cities are using AI to automate tasks, leverage data, and engage communities, with strategies emphasizing innovation, partnerships, and ethical governance for transformative local solutions.
• Connecticut City Could Use AI for Police Field Reports Meriden, CT, invests $3.46M in Axon’s AI tools to expedite police report writing, reduce overtime, and introduce virtual reality training for officers, emphasizing inclusivity and community connection.
• New Jersey shares AI translation tool materials with other states New Jersey is sharing training materials from its AI translation assistant, which triples unemployment translation speed, helping other states create accurate, human-vetted language tools powered by generative AI.
• Austin responds to inflammatory AI-generated public comment Austin, Texas, is addressing the use of AI-generated public comments, following an inflammatory incident during a City Council meeting, by developing best practices to protect public discourse integrity.
• AI is an energy hog, and government needs to be aware Government technology officials are raising concerns about AI’s environmental impact, urging transparency from vendors on energy and water usage as part of procurement processes to align with sustainability goals.
• In new AI coalition, government thought leaders plan ahead The GovAI Coalition unites 1,700 government tech leaders to shape ethical, transparent AI policies, aiming to mitigate risks, bolster public trust, and prepare for AI's rapid evolution.

International

• Council of Europe, Committee on AI release risk report The HUDERIA (Human Rights, Democracy, and Rule of Law Impact Assessment for AI) is a guidance framework to assess and mitigate AI risks affecting these principles throughout AI systems' lifecycles. Adopted by the Council of Europe, it aligns with global standards and supports public and private actors.
• The Developers Playbook for Responsible AI in India This Playbook provides practical frameworks and risk mitigation strategies for building ethical, inclusive, and legally compliant AI systems, aligning with India's mission for trusted AI solutions.
• Closing the AI equity gap: Trust and safety for sustainable development UNDP calls for collaborative, proactive AI trust and safety models that address equity gaps, prioritize local contexts, and empower underserved regions to ensure inclusive and sustainable AI adoption.
• Gen AI strategies for Australian higher education: Emerging practice TEQSA's new toolkit offers insights into managing generative AI risks in Australian universities, with a focus on process, people, and practice to ensure ethical and effective integration.
• AI Watch: Global regulatory tracker - African Union The African Union's Continental AI Strategy (2025-2030) promotes ethical AI aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063. It includes phased implementation, risk-based governance, and sectoral regulations to foster innovation and inclusivity.
• The role of AI in fostering multifaceted cooperation among BRICS nations BRICS nations aim to harness AI for economic growth, maritime security, and ethical governance. Joint research, data exchange, and talent development enhance cooperation, ensuring AI benefits all member countries equitably.
• Global AI Summit in Serbia highlights ethical innovation and international cooperation The GPAI Summit in Serbia emphasized ethical AI and international collaboration to address global challenges. Key discussions focused on inclusion, equality, and supporting innovation while mitigating risks.
• GenAI reshapes regional labor markets, offering growth opportunities amid workforce challenges The OECD's 2024 report highlights the transformative impact of generative AI on regional labor markets. AI could address labor shortages, boost productivity, and create opportunities while emphasizing place-specific policies to mitigate risks.
• The global AI race: Will US innovation lead or lag? Congress debates AI regulation amidst exponential growth in technology. Striking the right balance is crucial to avoid stifling innovation and risking U.S. leadership against China’s strategic advances

Other

• Amazon releases new Nova AI models AWS introduces Nova foundation models for generative AI, offering scalable solutions on AWS Bedrock, alongside a partnership with Anthropic to develop the world’s largest AI compute cluster.
• Expanding academia’s role in public sector AI Stanford HAI highlights academia's declining role in AI development due to resource disparities. It calls for increased public investment, interdisciplinary "team science," and government-backed institutions to bolster public-interest AI.
• The AI we deserve Generative AI reflects market-driven efficiency but limits broader societal potential. A shift to ecological intelligence, inspired by pragmatism and public-oriented experiments, could align AI with democratic and humanistic goals.
• OpenAI’s 12 days of ‘ship-mas’: all the new announcements OpenAI's "12 days of ship-mas" kicks off with new announcements, including a $200 ChatGPT Pro subscription, updated o1 reasoning model, and anticipated Sora text-to-video AI launch.
• Meta launches open source Llama 3.3 A smaller yet powerful open-source AI model, rivals larger counterparts in performance while significantly reducing GPU costs, enhancing accessibility for developers and the open-source community.
• Google says AI weather model masters 15-day forecast Google DeepMind's GenCast AI model outperforms traditional systems, providing highly accurate 15-day weather forecasts in minutes, with potential to enhance extreme weather predictions and save lives.
• How the US is handling AI-driven hiring practices AI in employment processes is raising concerns about bias and transparency. States are implementing diverse rules to address fairness, while litigation and advocacy highlight the need for clear governance and accountability.
• OpenAI releases ChatGPT Pro and o1 OpenAI introduces ChatGPT Pro at $200/month, offering advanced features like o1 pro mode for improved reasoning and coding accuracy. The move aims to attract power users while addressing rising operational costs.
• Scaling GenAI: 13 elements for sustainable growth and value Deloitte outlines 13 elements for sustainably scaling Generative AI, emphasizing strategy, governance, talent, and technology to maximize ROI and achieve enterprise-wide adoption of GenAI.
• UnitedHealthcare accused of relying on AI to deny Medicare claims UnitedHealthcare faces accusations of using AI algorithms to deny Medicare Advantage claims, prioritizing cost-cutting over care, and a class-action lawsuit alleges systemic wrongful denials with a high error rate.
• What do we know about the economics of AI? Economist Daron Acemoglu critiques AI's economic impact, advocating for a slower, more deliberate adoption focused on enhancing worker productivity rather than automation, while addressing risks like job displacement and misinformation.
• How to create value systematically with GenAI The GenAI Value-Creation Pyramid offers a framework to scale GenAI effectively, moving from individual productivity gains to transformative innovation by enhancing collaboration, reimagining processes, and driving stakeholder impact.