There’s more AI in federal agencies than ever before, but the results aren’t always easy to see
There’s more AI in federal agencies than ever before, but the results aren’t always easy to see
Publish Date: 2026-06-02 15:57:00
Source Domain: federalnewsnetwork.com
- Administration Continuity: Both the Biden and Trump administrations have maintained and revised AI policies initially set by the previous administration, focusing on embedding AI into operations and missions of select federal agencies.
- Focused Adoption: AI use cases have significantly increased from around 700 in 2023 to over 3,600 in 2025, though this growth is concentrated within a handful of large agencies, with the largest agencies contributing the majority of use cases.
- Application Domains: Common AI applications involve back-office efficiency, law enforcement by DHS and DOJ, and health services by Health and Human Services and VA.
- Deployment Challenges: While many AI use cases are in pilot phase and rely on both in-house and external vendor development, scaling up to full deployment remains a significant challenge due to rapidly evolving AI capabilities.
- Resource and Talent Bottlenecks: Smaller agencies face greater difficulties in AI adoption due to limited resources, talent, and cultural risk aversion compared to larger agencies.
- Strategic Adoption Interventions: Effective strategies for AI adoption involve allowing spaces for experimentation, embedding AI thoughtfully where it provides the most transformative value, and avoiding forcing AI into inappropriate applications.
