Week in Review (1/17/25)
Federal
The Biden-Harris Administration introduced export controls on advanced AI technologies, including computing chips and closed-model weights, to protect national security while fostering global AI collaboration and innovation.
HHS appoints Alicia Rouault (CTO), Kristen Honey (CDO), and Meghan Dierks (CAIO) to lead AI, tech, and data efforts after a July reorganization aligning roles under the ONC.
The USPTO AI Strategy outlines a vision to enhance AI innovation, policy, and workforce development while fostering responsible use and collaboration within the IP and innovation ecosystem.
CISA's JCDC AI Cybersecurity Collaboration Playbook promotes voluntary information sharing among AI stakeholders to address AI-specific vulnerabilities and bolster defenses through public-private partnerships.
This report explores the evolution of generative AI in creating digital forgeries, its misuse by adversaries, impacts on homeland security, and strategies to counter and mitigate associated risks.
This Executive Order outlines initiatives to strengthen U.S. AI infrastructure by fostering clean energy, enhancing national security, supporting innovation, and maintaining global competitiveness in AI development and deployment.
AI transforms intelligence by enabling rapid data analysis, multilingual insights, and actionable policymaker support. However, risks include adversaries exploiting AI for surveillance, disinformation, and cyber threats, challenging U.S. security.
Marine Commandant Gen. Eric Smith advocates for leveraging off-the-shelf generative AI tools to enhance operations, emphasizing speed, adaptability, and cost-efficiency while prioritizing security and continuous evaluation.
The Pentagon is testing generative AI tools to accelerate battlefield decisions in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on interoperability and new frameworks with defense tech firms.
Federal agencies reported 1,700+ AI use cases in 2024, doubling from 2023. Key trends include operational efficiency, public safety safeguards, and innovation in administrative, health, and benefits applications.
CIA nominee John Ratcliffe emphasized the pivotal role of emerging technologies, like AI and quantum computing, in national security, identifying China as the primary threat. He vowed to modernize the CIA, prioritize talent, and address technology-driven challenges.
The Department of Commerce released guidance to make public data "AI-ready," emphasizing machine understandability to enhance AI accuracy and integrity. Recommendations span metadata, quality control, and data dissemination improvements.
The U.S. Access Board outlined initial findings on AI’s benefits and risks for people with disabilities, recommending inclusive data sets, audits, and accessibility-focused design to ensure equitable AI implementation.
NIST’s updated AI 800-1 draft enhances guidelines for managing dual-use foundation model risks, adding domain-specific practices, a marginal risk framework, and supply chain guidance.
Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum advocates for "clean coal" with carbon capture to support AI growth, citing energy shortages and U.S. competitiveness in the AI arms race against China.
To maintain AI leadership, the U.S. must refine export controls, foster public-private collaboration, and expand investments in global AI infrastructure, countering China’s influence across emerging markets.
A Stanford report highlights federal progress in AI governance but identifies barriers like fragmented compliance, resource constraints, and reliance on dual-role AI officers, risking effective leadership and innovation.
DHS’s updated AI directive prohibits discriminatory uses, sole AI-based enforcement decisions, and unlawful surveillance, while expanding governance for acquisition, testing, and incident reporting across the AI lifecycle.
The Army’s upcoming AI guidance, informed by lessons from Project Athena, will prioritize cost controls, cloud-based solutions, and cybersecurity, focusing on scalable AI for back-office efficiencies.
State/Local
Nevada lawmakers will debate requiring AI disclosures in political ads that depict fabricated events, aiming to enhance voter transparency while balancing free speech and innovation.
Fort Myers plans to use AI-driven sensors to predict water system breaks and target boil water notices, reducing impact and improving response times for utilities and wastewater management.
The U.S. Marine Corps' new guidance mandates rigorous testing, risk assessments, and approvals for generative AI systems while establishing AI task forces to ensure safe and effective implementation.
Maryland's AI roadmap outlines a five-part strategy for ethical AI adoption, including governance, workforce training, and pilot programs, targeting economic growth, education, and public safety improvements in 2025.
Nevada County first responders used AI in a wildfire evacuation exercise, demonstrating cutting-edge risk modeling to improve emergency readiness across the Western U.S.
Governor Katie Hobbs invites experts to join Arizona’s AI Steering Committee, shaping AI policy with a multidisciplinary focus on responsible innovation, public-private collaboration, and ethical governance.
States are cautiously deploying GenAI, focusing on operational efficiency and improving public services while addressing risks like data quality and long-term costs. Pilot programs reveal transformative potential but require careful investment and oversight.
International
The UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan accelerates AI adoption with £14 billion in investments, creating 13,250 jobs. Key measures include AI Growth Zones, expanded computing capacity, and public sector transformation.
The UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan outlines a bold strategy to enhance AI infrastructure, accelerate adoption, and establish the UK as a global AI leader, driving innovation, economic growth, and public service improvement.
AI and emerging technologies can catalyze Africa's development across economic, social, and environmental sectors. Investments in infrastructure, skills, and ethical governance are key to unlocking their potential.
AI’s potential must be balanced with its environmental impact. Priorities include ensuring AI is essential, optimizing its lifecycle, adopting clean energy, and creating smart, collaborative regulations for sustainable development.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang celebrated SPIL's new semiconductor plant in Taiwan, emphasizing partnerships in advanced AI chip production and Taiwan's pivotal role in the global AI supply chain.
Responsible AI leadership requires prioritizing human well-being, fostering public-private collaboration, and rethinking work. A "double bottom line" approach balances profitability with empowerment to future-proof communities and industries.
China’s AI advancements rival top U.S. models using less cost and power, despite chip export bans. With AGI on the horizon, competition intensifies in economic and security stakes.
Other
Generative AI advances in 2025 include AI-first applications, autonomous agents transforming SaaS, speech-based interactions, dynamic generative UIs, and embedded enterprise agents replacing RAG workflows—driving innovation and efficiency across industries.
Stanford experts predict collaborative AI systems, human-AI research, heightened skepticism in education, and increased AI-enabled scams in 2025, alongside shifting U.S. regulations and demands for verifiable AI benefits across sectors.
Anthropic achieves ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification, validating its ethical AI governance framework. Key measures include risk mitigation, transparency, and robust oversight, reinforcing its commitment to safe AI development.
A French woman lost €830,000 to scammers using AI deepfakes posing as Brad Pitt. The ordeal highlights rising cybercrime risks as AI evolves, sparking both ridicule and calls for awareness.
As AI revolutionizes work, creativity emerges as the essential skill. Leveraging AI tools, individuals can innovate, create value, and adapt to dynamic career landscapes, ensuring relevance and opportunity.
The Boston Consulting Group AI Radar reveals leading companies achieve 2.1x ROI by prioritizing a few strategic AI initiatives, reshaping workflows, and upskilling employees, highlighting execution as key to AI success.
Apple's AI news summaries frequently mischaracterize headlines, risking misinformation. Critics urge Apple to suspend the feature until robust fact-checking safeguards, like retrieval-augmented generation, are implemented.
Leaders must adopt AI to enhance productivity, workforce insights, and decision-making. Early adopters see boosted revenue and efficiency, while skeptics risk inefficiencies and missed opportunities.
Apple paused its AI-generated news notifications after repeated inaccuracies, including fabricated headlines. Updates will improve transparency about AI limitations and emphasize accuracy improvements before relaunch.
TikTok’s vast U.S. user data fuels concerns over potential Chinese influence on AI-driven public opinion manipulation. Lawmakers push for ByteDance divestment, citing risks of tailored persuasion and surveillance.
AI in 2025 will focus on autonomous agents, national security concerns, evolving regulations, ROI pressures, and mainstream AI video tools. These trends reflect deepening integration into global industries and policies.
AI’s potential to enhance government efficiency is vast but fraught with risks, including bias, misuse, and eroding trust. To succeed, transparency, oversight, risk mitigation, and human judgment must guide deployments.
The CDT’s report maps approaches to AI assessment, categorizing practices by scope, independence, and goals like informing, evaluating, and changing behavior. It emphasizes pluralistic, transparent methods for robust accountability.
GenAI fuels sophisticated fraud like deepfakes and phishing. Digital identity wallets with biometrics offer scalable solutions, enhancing security, reducing fraud, and building trust in the digital economy globally.
Duolingo expanded its AI-powered Video Call feature, allowing users to practice speaking languages with a GPT-4-driven avatar, Lily. The tool aims to make immersive, low-pressure learning accessible and effective.
A University of Minnesota Ph.D. student expelled over alleged AI use on an exam sues the school, challenging detection methods and due process while highlighting AI's impact on education integrity.
Goldman Sachs highlights AI's ability to streamline drafting complex financial documents, cutting weeks of manual work and driving efficiency as Wall Street increasingly adopts advanced AI tools.
Agentic AI is transforming job searches by automating repetitive tasks, optimizing applications, and enhancing interview prep, empowering job seekers and employers alike in 2025’s evolving landscape.
AI agents revolutionize workflows by observing, planning, and acting autonomously. They streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and unlock productivity, reshaping industries and redefining human-AI collaboration.
Generative AI / ML + Cloud + Big Data, 4x AWS + 5x Azure + 6x Databricks certified.
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