AI as an Infrastructure Shared Service

Now that we are all in agreement that AI will transform government operations, how do we get started? Each agency is currently evaluating AI opportunities in cybersecurity, internal business process improvements, and in meeting their specific mission objectives to better serve the public. It seems to me that much of the focus is directed at the agency’s application layer and that may not be an optimal approach in the long term. There are currently data apps and algorithms that can already support applications for fraud detection and other data centric applications across the Federal government. Using AI for these bespoke solutions, by well-funded agencies, seems like a good start. But not all agencies have the financial and people resources to build out both the infrastructure and the applications. Funding constraints and lengthy procurement cycles will hamper an
agency’s ability to be nimble and innovative. The good news is that the commercial marketplace provides a great roadmap for leveraging AI through the data center infrastructure.