In today’s technological landscape, breakthroughs in innovation, specifically AI, are essential to maintaining balance of power – sparking new industries and revolutionizing the workspace. Excellence in AI represents more than a policy goal; it is the basis for maintaining American leadership across economic, military and diplomatic spheres.
The White House recently released America’s AI Action Plan – the US’s new guide to ensure American excellence in AI. The Action Plan outlines a national strategy – prioritizing private-sector innovation, infrastructure expansion, and global AI leadership with over 90 Federal policies.
The plan rests on three foundational pillars:
- Pillar I calls to accelerate AI innovation. The federal government is cutting unnecessary red tape and empowering agencies to prioritize mission-first, secure AI solutions for defense, law enforcement, border protection, and citizen services.
- Pillar II is to prioritize building the infrastructure (data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy) needed to power these AI solutions on a national level.
- Pillar III focuses on ensuring that America is the global leader in international AI diplomacy and security – mitigating cybersecurity and national security risks caused by externally produced AI systems.
The AI Action Plan is the latest in a series of targeted memos, executive orders, resolutions, and policies aiming to support AI adoption across America. Understanding the AI Action Plan requires a review of the current State of AI in American politics.
Minimizing Roadblocks for Innovation
In alignment with the recent Action Plan, there has been a Government-wide push to overcome Federal hurdles and regulatory constraints to AI adoption. The recently passed H.R. 1 is a major milestone – removing outdated legislative barriers while allocating funding for AI in defense and AI infrastructure at the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill encourages centralized, Federal legislation, rather than having AI laws be passed state-by-state, enabling consistent, nation-wide progress
In April, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to prepare for widespread AI deployment by appointing AI officers and publishing practical AI adoption strategies. In Memo-25-21, “Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust,” OMB set forth a number of AI-related recommendations for agencies, such as removing barriers to innovation, accelerating AI adoption, and ensuring AI delivers real benefits to the American people. The companion memo, M-25-22, encourages agencies to source American made AI solutions, simplifying procurement and increasing interoperability. When viewed as a whole, these Federal guidelines emphasize deregulation, support open-source models, and highlight leadership from the Private sector as the key to rapid AI advancement and adoption across industries.
Building AI Infrastructure at Scale
In addition to removing legislative roadblocks to AI adoption, recent Federal guidance lays the physical foundation for AI expansion. The National Science Foundation (NSF) requested information to support Federal development in AI infrastructure, receiving over 10,000 responses. Within the NSF, the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) are working to utilize Federal lands to construct data centers and power infrastructure. The combination of new data centers, a modernized electric grid, and specialized workforce training for AI will make AI more accessible to the government as well as the American citizens. In addition to the nation’s continued advancement in AI Infrastructure, the General Service Administration (GSA) aims to launch an “AI procurement toolbox,” which would help agencies develop and test new technology, including Generative AI (GenAI) to improve Government operations.
The private sector remains dedicated to AI advancement. Recent initiatives underscore the market’s effort to scale AI. One such effort is OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle and MGX’s $500 billion initiative Stargate, which aims to expand U.S. AI capacity. Another is the $90 billion in pledges for data centers and power infrastructure at the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit.
AI leadership is simultaneously an economic imperative and national security necessity. As global competitors advance their own AI capabilities, America’s usage will determine its ability to maintain technological dominance in the broader, geopolitical competition.
Carahsoft and its partners are able to connect agencies with the latest compliant technology for AI. To learn more about AI solutions in accordance with Federal standards, visit Carahsoft’s Page on AI Solutions.
