The Wrap: Thanks for Your Eyeballs; Year-Enders on AI, Quantum, DoD Tech
Welcome to The Wrap for Tuesday, December 24!
From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in Federal tech news. Here’s what you need to know today:
Thanks for Your Eyeballs
The news reporting group at MeriTalk is opening up the best Christmas present ever – we are all taking the next week off from work! – so the next Wrap you see from us will arrive on Jan. 2. While we get ready to take a long winter’s nap, please accept our heartfelt thanks for your attention to our news feeds over the past year, your continuing feedback and input, and most of all the opportunity to be part of your busy day. We look forward to sorting out next year’s news together with you.
Into 2025 – AI
The Biden administration checked most of the boxes on a very long list of artificial intelligence policy items during 2024, the incoming Trump administration is likely to hang onto some of those and take a different direction on others next year, and Congress did a lot of debating on AI issues but didn’t approve much in the way of big AI legislation. You can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been, so here’s the 2024 rundown that sets the stage for Fed AI in 2025.
Into 2025 – Defense Tech
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) bulldozed its way through an enormous IT to-do list, much of it focused on improving cybersecurity over the long haul. Biggies include zero trust security work for IT, coming zero trust plans for operational technology, finally pushing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program over the finish line, launching the Fulcrum effort to modernize IT networks, and putting a new face on the Task Force Lima AI effort through creation of the new AI Rapid Capabilities Cell successor. Hit all the highpoints in our 2024 year-ender.
Into 2025 – Quantum
Quantum tech – the next great leap forward in computing that also eats current encryption methods for lunch – is one of those things that’s probably going to progress more quickly than we all expect. The Feds are not sitting on their hands waiting to be surprised, and our 2024 year-ender looks at a lengthy list of developments including NIST’s release of quantum-resistant encryption algorithms, provisions in the 2025 NDAA to boost funding and collaboration within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Quantum Benchmarking program, and an outbreak of quantum use cases among a host of civilian agencies including NASA, the Energy Department, and the Transportation Department.
Once again, let’s “call IT a day,” but we'll bring you more on Jan. 2, 2025. Until then please check the MeriTalk breaking news website throughout the day for the latest on government IT people, process, and policy. And finally, please hit the news tip jar [with leads, breaking news, or simply your two cents] at newsstaff@meritalk.com.