Artificial Intelligence: Generative AI Use and Management at Federal Agencies

Artificial Intelligence: Generative AI Use and Management at Federal Agencies (GAO) – “Recent growth in AI capabilities has spurred a corresponding rise in public interest. Developments in generative AI—which can create text, images, audio, video, and other content when prompted by a user—have revolutionized how the technology can be used in many industries. However, generative AI has risks such as spreading misinformation and presenting national security and environmental risks. GAO was asked to describe federal agencies’ efforts to pursue generative AI. This report is the fourth in a body of work on generative AI. GAO’s objectives included describing selected agencies’ ongoing and planned uses of generative AI and resulting potential benefits as well as describing agencies’ challenges in using and managing generative AI and efforts to address these challenges. GAO selected 12 agencies that publicly reported having generative AI use cases in 2023 or 2024. GAO reviewed AI use case inventories submitted by 11 agencies (the Department of Defense is exempt from the requirement). GAO also analyzed challenges reported by the 12 agencies and categorized those most frequently mentioned. Additionally, GAO interviewed officials from OMB and the Office of Science and Technology Policy about their government-wide policies and guidance on generative AI.”