Embracing Human Intelligence into Digital Learning

Posted on by Erik Crawford

Artificial intelligence (AI) delivers scale and efficiency, but human intelligence adds empathy, creativity and critical thinking to create a balanced, impactful learning environment. Adding human interaction into digital learning offers advantages that AI alone cannot provide. First and foremost, humans are consuming the information, and humans learn in a variety of ways, so training is often not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. There is also contextual judgement and nuance that might be missed by AI. Training should include an emotional connection to help drive learner engagement. Finally, the social learning aspect of open-ended discussions, engaging in the hive mind, mentorship and creating an ecosystem of peers delivers a more human experience. Let’s look at how Adobe Captivate, Adobe Learning Manager and Adobe Connect can help you deliver training that embodies human-driven content with AI efficiency.

Course Creation – The Perfect Combination of AI and the Human Touch

Creating courses from scratch can be a daunting task, and scaling them as your need for more training grows can be even more overwhelming. What topics to cover, which training methods should be used and how to deliver the courses is only the tip of the iceberg. The latest version of Adobe Captivate incorporates AI to help you create tailored training through simplified workflows that include content presets, slide templates and text to speech generation. For added interactivity, Captivate includes the capability to add interactive videos, choose from a built-in multimedia asset library and dynamic widgets. Once the core content is created, the information can be massaged to create story driven training based on real world experiences that span from soft skills to software simulation and everywhere in-between. Lastly, information retention can be supported through graded or knowledge check-type assessments to create quizzes with varied criteria to provide a fully polished training course. In short, let AI automate the more tedious tasks and keep the human touch as a core to add relatability to the final deliverable.

When to Leverage AI for Training Scalability

When your organization is growing and the need for high-volume repetitive training arises, AI can allow you to scale by helping you manage data-driven improvements and efficiencies. Adobe Learning Manager is a learning management system that can help you automate course assignments, track learner progress and generate a multitude of reports to measure the effectiveness of your training program. AI can be used to help create logical learning paths to help team members navigate organizations that have hundreds or thousands of course offerings with blended content types, such as self-paced, virtual training, in person or submission-based. Through Adobe Learning Manager, individual courses can be grouped into learning paths spanning a longer period, covering related topics and increasing the learner’s expertise in associated skills levels. Such learning paths can be configured with automated enrollment triggered by specified events, such as a learner’s registration to the LMS, their onboarding, promotion, re-location, upskilling and more. Carahsoft recently completed a case study* on Adobe Learning Manager that cited a 96% increase in growth over the last four years. It was a huge turning point in how training was delivered company-wide, and the number of courses and modules exploded to over 5600. Whether you are delivering on-demand, instructor-led or hybrid-style training, Adobe Learning Manager serves as a centralized hub where team members can complete compliance courses, engage in continuing education, develop new skills or renew their yearly certifications.

*Please click here if you would like to read more about how Carahsoft leverages Adobe Learning Manager to deliver over 5600 learning modules, 952 courses and 35 learning paths.

Virtual Classrooms – Where AI and Human Interactivity Join Forces to Provide Deep Learning Experiences

The key to any great virtual classroom experience is interactivity. Get your audience to the keyboard and the screen and keep them there. Adobe Connect provides numerous ways to achieve this, including breakout rooms, webcams, quizzes, multiple simultaneous screenshares, whiteboarding and persistent virtual environments. Humans tend to learn better when they feel seen, and are engaged in the training, this is the human element at work. Turn on webcams to create empathy, break into smaller groups to promote the sharing of ideas, leverage creativity by drawing on the whiteboard and start building an environment that is enhanced by AI but not solely driven by it. Once the human element is operating in full force, you can engage the power of AI to offer live support during a training session or to create post-training blogs to keep the conversation going after the course has ended.

When you learn to combine the power of AI with the relatability of the human touch, your training programs will scale, engage, educate and drive results in ways that were unimaginable a few short years ago. The future of training will incorporate hyper-personalized learning paths that include bite-sized microlearning modules, adaptive assessments, immersive learning experiences and AI assistance throughout the entire process.

To learn more about digital learning and AI, watch the webinar series, “Embracing Human Intelligence into Digital Learning.” To take a deeper dive into Adobe’s eLearning products contact us to schedule a complimentary demo today!

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Adobe we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

The Role of AI Infrastructure in Government

Posted on by Mike Adams

To maintain its place as a leader in AI advancements, and to comply with the latest White House guidance, Government agencies must harness AI capabilities, such as secure cloud computing platforms, high-performance data processing systems and scalable machine learning frameworks, for critical functions such as cybersecurity, predictive analytics and economic competitiveness. As with any new technology, AI requires updated infrastructure to power these advanced capabilities.

The Capabilities of AI Infrastructure

AI infrastructure refers to the hardware and software needed to create and deploy AI-powered applications and solutions. It enables both AI, the technology that simulates the way people think, and machine learning (ML), a focus area of AI that utilizes data and algorithms to imitate the way humans learn, increasing the accuracy of its results the more data you input. AI infrastructure enables users to create and deploy AI and ML apps, such as chatbots, facial and speech recognition and computer vision.

Building the infrastructure for AI requires data storage and processing, compute resources, ML frameworks and MLOps platforms to acquire the processing capabilities needed for AI, and also to train ML models.

AI Infrastructure Deep Dive

Below are the six pillars that define a strong AI foundation, each continuously evolving to keep pace with the next generation of AI capabilities.

Specialized Compute
In 2025, AI solutions rely on more than GPUs, they use a mix of processors designed for different types of AI tasks. This makes it faster and more cost-effective to train, update and run today’s complex models. As AI systems are becoming more advanced, many models are becoming larger and require HPC solutions. On the other hand, smaller models can run on cloud-based architecture for lower compute needs.

Data Preparation

The success of an AI solution can tie back to how well the data is prepared before it’s used. Modern AI infrastructure now includes built-in tools to clean, label and organize data at scale, sometimes using AI itself to automate the work. This ensures models are trained on accurate, relevant information, while also tagging and tracking data to meet security, compliance and transparency requirements.

Data Storage
Because today’s AI solutions are becoming more and more advanced, additional data is required to train the models. AI now depends on lightning-fast data storage that can easily grow alongside datasets. New tools also make it possible to keep sensitive data in specific locations or environments, meeting strict privacy and Government requirements without slowing down AI workflows.

Networking
As AI models get bigger, the speed of moving information between systems is critical. New high-speed networks reduce delays so AI can process and deliver results in near real-time, even across large environments.

Software & Orchestration
Managing AI today requires controlling the entire process from development to deployment. Modern platforms help teams easily update models, track their history and ensure they run efficiently whether in the cloud, on-premises, or in secure Government networks.

Security & Governance
AI infrastructure in 2025 is built with security at its core. It goes through rigorous testing to ensure it meets Government compliance standards and protects sensitive information. It is important to choose solutions from providers that continuously monitor their models, ensuring they’re safe, reliable and ready to be audited at any time.

All these AI Infrastructure features will be utilized by Government agencies to enable AI solutions that improve workflows and maintain global competitiveness.

AI Infrastructure: A National Priority

Executive Order 14141 names AI infrastructure, including data centers and compute clusters that are powered by clean energy, as a national priority to upholding U.S. leadership, national security and competition.

The order encourages Government agencies to secure supply chains, integrate clean energy and collaborate with the private sector. It also directs Federal agencies to make Federal lands and sites available for clean power generation and gigawatt-scale AI data centers

In alignment with the Executive Order, the Department of Energy (DOE) has released a Request for Information (RFI) to use its territories to build AI infrastructure datacenters, citing that they would enable AI training and inference, scientific research and other essential services.

Most recently, the AI Action Plan outlines recommended policy actions regarding building AI infrastructure such as data centers, semiconductor manufacturing facilities and energy infrastructure. The goal of the AI Action Plan is to streamline AI adoption and, in turn, speed up and scale the development of AI infrastructure on the federal level. National Security, AI incident response, cybersecurity and secure-by-design systems are highlighted as vital pillars of the AI Action Plan’s infrastructure guidance. By sharing specific steps to achieve safe and secure AI infrastructure, such as identifying available federal land, training our workforce, building data centers and keeping security at the backbone, the AI Action Plan outlines clear next steps that agencies need to take in order to push AI adoption forward.

In an increasingly technology-driven landscape, AI infrastructure allows Government agencies to modernize their operations and deliver more efficient, responsive services. Strategic investment in AI infrastructure enables agencies to enhance decision-making processes, reduce operational costs, protect national security interest and fulfill their core mandate of serving citizens. Once this foundation is in place, agencies can begin to build and deploy solutions that directly support their missions. The next blog in our series will explore how this infrastructure enables Generative AI and its potential for transforming Government workflows.

Carahsoft’s ecosystem of hardware and software vendors are equipped to connect agencies with the latest technology for AI, including the infrastructure needed to run it. To learn more about AI infrastructure solutions that are tailored for the Public Sector, visit Carahsoft’s Page on AI Solutions.

Excellence at Scale: Transforming AI Infrastructure with F5 and MinIO’s Secure Data Delivery

Posted on by Ahmed Dessouki

Today’s enterprises face both a challenge and an opportunity to transform vast amounts of data from AI, autonomous systems and emerging workloads into meaningful business outcomes. Secure, optimized data delivery and high-performance object storage are essential to accelerate insights, optimize business performance and maintain a competitive edge.

The expanded F5 and MinIO partnership brings together MinIO AIStor’s high-performance, highly-scalable, S3-compatible object storage with the secure, intelligent traffic management of the F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP). This joint solution delivers a comprehensive, secure and scalable foundation for AI workloads, enabling businesses to achieve optimized data management, strengthened security and flexible migration across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments.

F5 and MinIO offer a joint solution designed to enhance performance, resilience and security for customers’ most demanding AI and enterprise workloads.

Understanding S3 and its importance for scalable data management

Simple Storage Service (S3) is the standard protocol for modern object storage, fully supported by AIStor and a key component of today’s data architectures. Unlike traditional storage, S3 stores data as discrete objects in logical containers called buckets, paired with metadata for efficient organization and retrieval, which is critical for AI workloads.

Operating over HTTP/S, S3 is ideal for scalability, distributed deployments and seamless cloud integration. It’s widely used in data lakes, archives, media repositories, static websites, backups and especially AI and machine learning pipelines, making S3-compatible storage a strategic business investment. Because S3 leverages HTTP/S as its transport protocol, businesses can directly benefit from F5’s deep expertise and apply its industry-leading Layer 4-7 capabilities to S3 storage traffic.

Optimizing storage traffic with F5 BIG-IP for MinIO AIStor

As organizations utilize real-time and large-scale data for AI and enterprise workloads, efficient traffic management is critical. Powered by F5 ADSP, F5 BIG-IP’s intelligent load balancing technologies (e.g., LTM and DNS) prevent storage bottlenecks by distributing queries and traffic evenly, reducing latency, eliminating hotspots and enabling consistent scalability.

BIG-IP also provides robust delivery and security for S3 storage traffic:

Protect against HTTP/S-based threats with an advanced web application firewall (WAF) to safeguard critical business data and minimize risks.
Defend against DDoS attacks to maximize availability and ensure continuous uptime.
Offload SSL/TLS encryption to optimize security without impacting MinIO performance.

Across cloud, on-premises or hybrid deployments, F5 and MinIO’s unified approach simplifies management, ensuring consistent performance and security.

Simplifying cloud-to-on-premises migration: The repatriation advantage

Businesses are increasingly moving workloads from public clouds back on-premises due to rising costs, compliance demands, data sovereignty and performance predictability. This cloud-to-on-prem repatriation often requires significant application refactoring and architectural changes.

F5 BIG-IP and MinIO AIStor simplify this transition: AIStor’s consistent S3-compatible API enables applications to migrate smoothly, while BIG-IP intelligently orchestrates incremental traffic shifts through DNS routing, allowing for phased, disruption-free migrations with minimal adjustments.

Extending strategic advantage across industries

From managing autonomous vehicle training data to powering healthcare analytics and financial compliance, the flexibility of the F5 and MinIO solution translates into a clear competitive advantage for organizations across industries.

For example, a major global automotive manufacturer is using the joint solution provided by F5 and MinIO to securely and reliably deliver and manage proprietary data from its vehicle fleets worldwide to AI factories. This enables continuous improvements to their AI models, providing significant business advantages. This powerful solution has enabled the manufacturer to save millions of dollars annually by repatriating the data from the public cloud. It has also reduced downtime, enhanced reliability, maximized ROI on AI infrastructure and ensured secure management of exascale data. These benefits have empowered the automotive manufacturer to boost innovation and maintain a strong competitive edge.

F5’s secure traffic management capabilities collect and route vehicle-generated data through F5-powered regional points of presence (PoPs), delivering it seamlessly into a centralized data lake powered by MinIO AIStor. MinIO’s high-performance object storage solution forms the essential foundation for training AI models. Once models are trained and validated, they are delivered securely back to vehicle systems, with every step of the cycle delivered and protected by F5 infrastructure.

A global automotive manufacturer is using the joint solution from F5 and MinIO to securely route AI data across its systems, ensuring rapid processing and uninterrupted availability.

This large-scale deployment illustrates the significant advantage organizations in other industries can gain when adopting the joint approach of F5 and MinIO. For example, healthcare providers use secure, high-performance storage to enhance predictive analytics and medical imaging, improving patient outcomes through rapid, reliable data access. Financial institutions leverage BIG-IP’s security and MinIO’s security and scalability for compliant storage of large amounts of sensitive data, enabling AI-driven fraud detection and risk management. And companies with edge computing deployments count on F5 and MinIO for secure, low-latency data processing and storage—critical for IoT and smart industry use cases.

In short, F5 and MinIO together bring exceptional security, scalability and straightforward repatriation capabilities to virtually any industry looking for transformative data management strategies.

F5 and MinIO provide resilient, secure and scalable Al data delivery for any industry.

Next steps: Unlocking strategic agility with F5 and MinIO

In today’s dynamic business environments, gaining a strategic advantage means confidently navigating the digital transformation landscape. Together, F5 and MinIO provide high-performance, resilient, secure object storage and intelligent traffic orchestration optimized for today’s most ambitious AI projects and mission-critical data workloads across many industries.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including F5 we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

This post originally appeared on F5.com, and is re-published with permission.

Transforming Federal AI Adoption: How Google’s OneGov Agreement Delivers Enterprise-Grade Intelligence

Posted on by Harjeet Khalsa

The General Services Administration’s (GSA) OneGov strategy represents a fundamental shift in Federal procurement, moving from fragmented, agency-by-agency purchasing to a unified enterprise approach that leverages the Government’s collective buying power. Google’s new Gemini for Government agreement provides Federal agencies with access to cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities at an unprecedented $0.47 per agency price point. This strategic partnership builds upon Google’s previous Workspace agreement with GSA, establishing a procurement framework that treats the Federal government as a single unified customer.

Breaking Down Silos with Purpose-Built AI Infrastructure

Gemini for Government addresses one of the most persistent challenges in Federal operations: the need for sophisticated automation tools that can operate securely across diverse Government environments. The platform serves as a developer-focused suite specifically designed for Federal agencies, enabling the building, deployment and management of advanced automated AI agents that perform complex, multi-step workflows across an organization’s internal data. Unlike commercial solutions that require extensive customization for Government use, Gemini for Government comes purpose-built with integrated security features and compliance standards that meet Federal requirements from day one.

The platform’s comprehensive approach eliminates the traditional barriers that have prevented agencies from adopting enterprise-grade AI solutions. By providing both prepackaged AI agents and the capability to create custom solutions, agencies can immediately begin automating business processes while maintaining the flexibility to develop specialized applications as their needs evolve.

Democratizing AI Development Across Federal Agencies

One of the most significant advantages of the Gemini for Government offer lies in its accessibility to agencies with varying levels of technical resources. The solution incorporates no-code capabilities through products like Agentspace, enabling Government users to leverage sophisticated AI tools without requiring extensive programming expertise. This democratization of AI development ensures that smaller agencies or those with limited technical staff can participate in digital transformation initiatives.

The platform includes Google’s best-of-breed commercial AI tools, including Agentspace and NotebookLM, all engineered specifically for Federal use. These tools provide agencies with immediate access to advanced AI capabilities while maintaining the security and compliance standards required for Government operations.

Security and Compliance Built into the Foundation

Federal agencies operate under stringent security requirements that often create barriers to adopting innovative technologies. Gemini for Government addresses these concerns through built-in security features, including identity and access management, threat detection, data privacy protections and advanced compliance standards such as SOC2 Type 2. Google Cloud’s extensive portfolio of FedRAMP High-authorized products provides the underlying infrastructure, ensuring that agencies can confidently deploy AI solutions without compromising their security posture.

This comprehensive security framework eliminates the lengthy and expensive process of retrofitting commercial solutions to meet Federal requirements. Instead of spending months or years on compliance validation, agencies can immediately begin leveraging AI capabilities while maintaining full compliance with Federal security standards.

Streamlined Procurement Through Strategic Partnerships

The GSA OneGov Gemini for Government promotional agreement demonstrates how strategic partnerships can dramatically simplify federal procurement processes. Available through Carahsoft’s GSA MAS contract, the deal provides standardized pricing and terms that eliminate the need for individual agency negotiations. The $0.47 per agency pricing includes a standard provisioning of 1,000 users, with the ability to add additional users at no cost during the promotional period.

Google has also provided flexibility to match promotional discounts on other Government contract vehicles based on specific agency procurement requirements. This approach ensures that agencies can access the technology through their preferred contracting mechanisms while still benefiting from the OneGov pricing structure. The promotional agreement runs through September 30th, 2026, providing agencies with ample time to evaluate and implement the solution.

The Path Forward for Federal AI Transformation

The Gemini for Government OneGov agreement represents more than just a procurement vehicle—it is a blueprint for how Federal agencies can access and implement cutting-edge technologies while maintaining security, compliance and cost-effectiveness. As agencies continue to face increasing demands for efficiency and innovation, solutions like Gemini for Government provide the foundation for meeting these challenges while maintaining the highest standards of security and compliance.

Ready to leverage this agreement to access best-of-breed AI tools that can transform your agency’s operations? Contact our Google team at Carahsoft today or call us at (888) 662-2724 to learn more and take advantage of this limited-time promotional offer.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Google we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

AI Excellence for Economic and Diplomatic Leadership

Posted on by Mike Adams

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.

Maximizing Federal IT Investments Through Udemy’s Strategic Workforce Development

Posted on by Tim Boltz

The Federal Government continues to invest billions in cutting-edge technology and digital transformation initiatives, yet many agencies struggle to realize the full return on these investments. The challenge is not always the technology itself, but ensuring the Federal workforce has the technical and soft skills needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving systems and processes. Udemy Business addresses this critical gap by offering comprehensive, on-demand training that upskills and reskills Federal employees, ensuring agencies maximize their IT investment returns while building a more capable, adaptable workforce.

Secure, Cross-Agency Learning Architecture

Federal agencies require training solutions that meet stringent security standards while enabling collaboration across organizational boundaries. Udemy Business delivers on both fronts through its secure cloud-hosted platform that complies with industry standards for data protection. The platform’s role-based controls allow administrators to manage permissions appropriately while maintaining security protocols.

Udemy Business delivers relevant training content with customized learning paths that are tailored to specific roles, compliance requirements and interagency goals. This capability ensures that workforce development efforts align with both individual agency missions and broader Government-wide objectives.

Udemy Business is aligned with the General Services Administration’s (GSA) OneGov strategy. Udemy Business unifies agencies and breaks down technology silos that have historically fragmented Government operations. Udemy’s extensive on-demand content library directly supports this vision by providing Federal employees with access to both technical and soft skills training across agency boundaries. Agencies can leverage Udemy’s training platform to ensure consistent skill development that ensures customers receive the largest return on IT investments. Udemy Business enables agencies to better coordinate their technology initiatives, as employees across different departments develop shared competencies in emerging technologies, project management and collaborative workflows that are essential for cross-agency success.

Building AI and Zero Trust Capabilities

As Federal agencies increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and Zero Trust security frameworks, workforce preparedness becomes critical for successful implementation. Udemy provides comprehensive AI courses that teach machine simulation of human intelligence processes, knowledge that is essential for developers, researchers and anyone working with cutting-edge Government technology initiatives.

The platform also offers extensive Zero Trust security courses that help Federal teams understand and implement Zero Trust principles effectively. This training capability is particularly valuable as agencies work to maintain pace with the evolving cybersecurity climate and protect sensitive Government data and systems.

Streamlined Deployment and Accessibility

Government environments often present unique deployment challenges, particularly for agencies with limited technical resources. Udemy Business addresses these concerns through its cloud-based architecture that supports remote access from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility proves especially valuable for distributed Federal workforces and agencies operating across multiple locations.

The platform’s straightforward deployment model eliminates many of the technical barriers that can slow adoption in Government environments, allowing agencies to begin training initiatives quickly without extensive infrastructure investments or complex integration projects.

Enhanced Value Through Strategic Partnership

Carahsoft and Udemy have collaborated to make workforce development more accessible and affordable for Federal agencies. Udemy Business Licenses are available through GSA contracts via Carahsoft, providing customers with established procurement pathways and additional savings opportunities. The partnership extends to other contract vehicles as well, giving agencies flexibility in their procurement approaches.

Currently, eligible Government customers can access additional savings of up to 50% off manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) through this strategic partnership. This promotion remains effective through the end of Federal fiscal year 25, providing agencies with a limited-time opportunity to invest in workforce development at significantly reduced costs.

The convergence of technological advancement, workforce development needs and strategic cost savings presents Federal agencies with a compelling opportunity to strengthen their human capital investments.

Ready to transform your agency’s workforce development strategy? Contact the Udemy team at Carahsoft or visit the Udemy Business website to discover how comprehensive, on-demand training can maximize your IT investments while building the skilled Federal workforce of tomorrow.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including Udemy Business, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

Culture as a Catalyst: How Internal Culture Drives External Impact

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

At the 2025 Customer Experience (CX) and Engagement Summit, thought-leaders and Government officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Air Force, GovExec and more discussed the many ways Government agencies can use company culture and technology to build trust and reach customers.

Carahsoft and our partners are committed to helping agencies find the right technology for their CX solutions.

People, not Products

Customers have come to expect seamless, digital-first experiences in service delivery. In the session “Creating a Customer-First Culture,” Dwight Chamberlain, the Area Vice President at Docusign, and Marcy Katz Jacobs, the Chief Digital Experience Officer for the State of Maryland, attest that Government can close current service gaps by reframing business models to prioritize people, not products. Traditionally, Government modernization efforts have prioritized systems and software over service design. By addressing communication barriers instead, teams can identify service gaps and engage more effectively with customers.

Fragmentation is another barrier to exemplary service. “It’s our job to connect the dots behind the scenes,” Jacobs states. “Showing teams that their silo is part of a bigger picture helps them align around a common mission.” Maryland’s new analytics platform, Analytics.Maryland.Gov, is one tool Jacobs’ team is using to better understand public demand and find a unified goal. It tracks critical data, such as where people are going on state websites, how long they are staying and where they drop off, which helps determine which services to focus improvement efforts on. “We have so many ways to listen — emails, phone calls, escalations, bad form data — but we haven’t been using that feedback to inform what we fix next,” Jacobs shares. “Now we are.” The combination of user data, internal feedback and data analysis enable Maryland to go beyond digitizing Government, humanizing services to be more intuitive, transparent and trusted.

Driving Transformation through Service Delivery

While new technology is vital to achieving maximized efficiency, technology alone cannot drive transformation. In the session “The Employee Experience: A Foundation for CX,” speakers Colt Whitall, the former Chief Experience Officer of the U.S. Air Force and founder of Bravo 17, and Karl Hermann, solutions engineering manager for State, Local and Education (SLED) and Federal Government at Zoom, discussed how meaningful change comes from connecting internal experience with mission outcomes. Hermann attests that technology should work for its users, not the other way around. In the rush to modernize, the day-to-day reality of user experience can be easily overlooked. Hermann watches employees juggle several different tools for business operations. By consolidating these tools into one platform, he found that agencies can reduce confusion, boost productivity and make services more accessible.

Whitall explained that when internal tools fail, service delivery comes to a halt as well. Whitall encouraged his team to shift their mindset to treat technology issues like product issues. They created a ‘Voice of the Customer’ program that monitors digital experience and collects data on performance and user perception. “That way, we can start to ascertain where service levels are impacting the mission and where they’re impacting productivity,” Whitall explains. By mapping technical pain points to real-world productivity loss, agencies can make the business case for faster technology replacements, better support and smarter investments.

Improving Workflows with Cross-Agency Communication

In the session “Overcoming Organizational Silos,” speakers Alana M. Burman, the Director of Policy, Intergovernmental Affairs & Mediation at the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, and Jamison Bruan, the Vice President of the Global Public Sector at Salesforce, discussed overcoming silos to service delivery. Today’s infrastructure creates silos that lead to communication and service gaps. “Communication should have no hierarchy. Everyone in the organization needs information at the speed of relevance,” Braun says. Shifting policy to support cross-departmental communication is the key to encouraging staff to take a more collaborative role, ultimately improving agency efficiency. Technology can also aid in unifying Government agencies by enabling the quick and efficient sharing of information across departments. Juggling multiple systems can lead to confusion and slower workflows, while one technology platform with omnichannel capabilities allows employees to effectively communicate, collaborate and document. Burman concludes that such systems are “revolutionary to the way that Government works and the way we think about how our public interacts with Government.”

The Top 6 Leadership Qualities for Success

At the session “Harnessing Your Inner Leader: Empowering a CX Culture,” speakers Avery Muse, the Sr. Founder and CEO of the Muse Group, as well as the Former Executive Director of the Office of IT Operations at the HHS, Amanda Chavez, the Vice President of CX at Qualtrics, and Anna Pettyjohn, the EVP of Product and Strategy at GovExec, discussed the best leadership qualities.

Here are their top 6:

Leadership begins with initiative, not a title.

Leadership is not limited to executives or managers. Rather, a leader is one that acts to drive change when they see a need.

Curiosity and authenticity

Curiosity shapes the way leaders build relationships, solve problems and bring others into CX work. Rather than emulating others, leaders should build on their own authentic, unique strengths.

Small ideas scale faster with the right community

Change begins by working with passionate, knowledgeable people who can uplift teams. For some communities, agencies will need to use non-traditional methods to gather feedback, to ensure they are meeting the holistic needs of their customer base.

Measure the experience, not just the output

Meaningful metrics, such as employee productivity and complete resolution of support issues, help measure how well a service works.

The language of CX is evolving

As the Government invests in new CX initiatives, leaders must also rethink the terminology itself. Customers expand beyond the public, including employees and internal stakeholders. With a clear definition, agencies can target solutions towards an inclusive customer base.

The future is ‘total experience’

When agencies lose time on outdated systems, they lose opportunities to connect with and serve the public. Muse recommends agencies rebuild for what he calls a “total experience,” a strategy that aims to connect Government services, employee strategy and customer desires. With the combination of relevant technology and a strategy-based, unified plan, agencies can reach their maximum potential.

Ultimately, by unifying technology, CX-focused leadership and service delivery, agencies can enhance their services while fostering trust and inclusion with the customers they serve.

To learn more about the topics discussed at the 2025 CX & Engagement Summit, view the session recordings, on-demand. To learn more about the technologies that can help meet your agency’s mission statement, take our Carahsoft’s CX Buyer’s Guide Quiz, or visit our CX and engagement solutions portfolio.  

More Coverage, Less Overhead: Rethinking Road Inspection Costs with AI-Driven Insights

Posted on by Mark Pittman

Trying to make your maintenance dollars go further without cutting corners on insight, safety or service?

If so, you’re not alone. With budgets often stretched and infrastructure demands growing, many agencies are reexamining how to get the most value out of every maintenance dollar. That’s why many are rethinking expensive, labor-intensive field inspections and turning to smarter, more cost-effective alternatives.

AI-analyzed dashcam imagery from commercial and fleet vehicles gives teams near real-time, visual insights into road conditions without the typical overhead. By using what’s already on the road, agencies can cut spending while getting even better data on pavement conditions, signage, lane markings and hazards.

Smarter Inspections. Real Savings.

Manual inspections can cost anywhere from $100 to $200 per mile, depending on the method and crew required. When you factor in vehicle costs, staffing, scheduling and delays, those expenses scale fast, especially for agencies managing thousands of miles.

AI-powered visual intelligence can reduce up to 90% of the manual inspections traditionally required for roadway condition assessment. That’s a considerable savings in time and money. In Hawaii, automated analysis of guardrails, striping and debris saved the state DOT over $900,000 by eliminating unnecessary field visits and allowing more strategic deployment of maintenance dollars.

With continuous AI-driven assessments, inspections shift from rigid schedules to condition-based decision-making. This allows agencies to focus their limited resources where the data shows they’re actually needed, maximizing impact while minimizing waste.

Lower Operational Strain, Lower Spend

Reducing fieldwork doesn’t just save time, it cuts expenses across the board. Fewer field deployments mean lower fuel costs, less vehicle wear and fewer overtime hours.

Instead of organizing additional field inspections, agencies can rely on regularly updated insights coming from existing vehicle networks. This reduces the need to expand teams or invest in specialized equipment to keep up with inspections. It also supports a safer inspection process by reducing risk exposure for field crews.

Better visibility leads to more accurate budgeting. Instead of flying blind—or relying on complaints—you can plan maintenance with precision, stretch your resources and avoid surprise repairs that blow up budgets.

Faster Recovery, Lower Emergency Costs

Storms, floods, and other disruptions can incur urgent, unexpected expenses. But quick, AI-enabled visual assessments can help reduce emergency costs.

Agencies can assess road damage without dispatching field teams immediately, saving time and protecting crews. Infrastructure inspections are evolving to include tools like Google Street View, providing a reliable “before” snapshot. Combined with dashcam imagery for the “after,” agencies can clearly analyze damage and document changes over time. That early insight supports faster funding requests and avoids the cost of blanket response measures that may not be necessary.

With centralized, visual data that’s easy to share, teams can streamline contractor coordination, skip redundant inspections and focus their limited funds where they’ll have the most impact.

Rewriting the Cost Equation

Road inspections don’t have to drain your budget. With AI-analyzed dashcam data, agencies are expanding visibility across their networks while significantly cutting costs.

The real value lies in shifting from reactive to efficient, insight-driven decision-making. From daily maintenance to emergency recovery, this model is helping public teams rethink how, and how much, they spend on inspections.

For any agency trying to do more with the same—or even less—budget, it’s time to rethink how inspections are conducted.

Watch the on-demand webinar to see how agencies are using AI-driven insights to reduce inspection costs while improving road safety.

From Noise to Impact: How Agencies Can Build Real AI Use Cases

Posted on by Kailey Silverberg

Insights from Federal data, legal and technology leaders on turning AI potential into mission-driven action

Everyone’s talking about AI. But in Government, where budgets are tight, oversight is strict and the stakes are high, talk isn’t enough. Agencies need AI use cases that solve real problems, not just generate headlines.

At a recent panel discussion in D.C. hosted by ZL Tech and Carahsoft, experts from data, legal and tech roles shared their insights on how Federal agencies can move from experimentation to impact. Their message was clear: success with AI starts with governance, strategy and the right people at the table.

1. Want Real AI? Start at the Top

The biggest challenge agencies face? Starting small and remaining siloed.

“Start at the highest, most strategic level of the organization,” said Matthew Versaggi, a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow for AI. “Don’t begin in your own department, by then it’s too narrow. Instead, ask: what’s the most impactful agency-wide use case we can build toward?”

The panelists emphasized that departmental pain points might improve workflows, but agency-wide pain points tied to the mission are where AI can truly move the needle.

“Without a structured process, you’re just chasing your tail,” added Kon Leong, CEO of ZL Tech. “Start small, but make sure your experiment is scalable and aligned to long-term strategy.”

2. Governance Isn’t a Roadblock. It’s the Roadmap.

AI can’t succeed without trust in the data. And trust depends on governance.

“Governance is accountability,” said Leong. “It’s what separates scalable, sustainable innovation from science experiments.”

Jason Baron, a professor and former senior Government attorney, described governance as a mesh, not a silo: “True governance links your CISO, CIO, records officers, FOIA leads, legal teams—all under shared policy and ownership. We used to work in silos. That has to end.”

And as Matthew pointed out, AI governance isn’t a blocker, it’s an enabler: “AI governance becomes the mechanism for sustaining innovation. If we’re going to compete globally, we have to embrace it.”

3. Talk to Your CDO—Yes, You Have One

One of the most actionable takeaways: if you’re not already talking to your Chief Data Officer, you’re behind.

“Every agency has a CDO,” said Jason. “Go find them. Hopefully you like them. Have a conversation.”

CDOs are uniquely positioned to bridge mission needs with data access and policy. As one attendee noted during the session, “Awareness is the first step. Records and governance leaders are finally getting a seat at the table.”

It’s no longer enough for legal, records and privacy teams to operate in isolation. Building AI responsibly requires alignment—and that starts with the CDO.

4. Unstructured Data Is the Game-Changer

Structured data, like spreadsheets and databases, has been the traditional foundation for reporting and analytics. But that’s not where the majority of Government data lives.

“Unstructured data is radioactive,” said Leong. “That’s where every crisis lives. And now, it’s center stage in AI.”

Unstructured data includes everything from emails and PDFs to file shares, chat logs and documents. It makes up more than 80% of enterprise data, yet many agencies lack visibility or control over it.

Jason gave a real-world Federal perspective: “As a records guy, I’d take out my watch and wait to see how long it took vendors to say ‘FOIA’ or ‘FedRAMP.’ If they don’t understand the challenges around Federal unstructured data, they’re not serious.”

5. Use the Impact vs. Effort Matrix to Prioritize Wisely

With hundreds of possible AI use cases, how can agencies filter out distractions and find the ones worth pursuing?

Panelists recommended the Impact vs. Effort Matrix—a simple yet powerful tool to map use cases by how much effort they require and how much impact they’ll deliver.

What Is the Impact vs. Effort Matrix?

This tool helps agencies focus on what’s worth doing, especially when time, talent and resources are limited. Each AI idea gets placed into one of four categories:

Quick Wins (High Impact, Low Effort): Prioritize these immediately.
Major Projects (High Impact, High Effort): Worth the investment—plan carefully.
Fill-Ins (Low Impact, Low Effort): Do when time permits.
Thankless Tasks (Low Impact, High Effort): Avoid or minimize these.

“We see hundreds of AI ideas across agencies,” one panelist said. “But when you apply the matrix, only a handful have real traction. The juice has to be worth the squeeze.”

The matrix helps filter noise and ensure teams are spending time on the projects most likely to scale, succeed and support the mission.

6. Build with Scale in Mind, Even If You Start Small

AI is experimental. Not every idea will pan out. But successful projects need a path to grow from day one.

“Do a small test with an enterprise mindset,” said Matthew. “Security, governance and scale should be built in from the start.”

Leong agreed: “Get your data ducks in a row, and everything else will follow. You don’t want to make long-term bets on projects that were never designed to scale.”

7. Custom or Off-the-Shelf? Choose Based on Complexity

Should agencies build custom platforms or adapt off-the-shelf tools? It depends.

“Don’t overpay for generic tools,” said Matthew. “But for deep, high-end capabilities, you may need in-house builds—just know the tradeoffs.”

The more specialized the use case, the more likely a tailored solution is required. But whether buying or building, the panel emphasized the importance of involving records officers, legal teams and SMEs early—not just the CIO chasing the next shiny object.

Final Thought: The Data Is There. The Champions Are Too.

The core message of the session? Agencies already have the data—and they have the people who care about getting it right.

What’s missing is coordination, prioritization and a strong governance foundation.

Start with strategy. Talk to your CDO. Use the matrix. Build with intent.

Carahsoft Technology Corp. is The Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, supporting Public Sector organizations across Federal, State and Local Government agencies and Education and Healthcare markets. As the Master Government Aggregator for our vendor partners, including ZL Tech, we deliver solutions for Geospatial, Cybersecurity, MultiCloud, DevSecOps, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience and Engagement, Open Source and more. Working with resellers, systems integrators and consultants, our sales and marketing teams provide industry leading IT products, services and training through hundreds of contract vehicles. Explore the Carahsoft Blog to learn more about the latest trends in Government technology markets and solutions, as well as Carahsoft’s ecosystem of partner thought-leaders.

The Tech Behind Trust: Enabling Better CX Through Automation, Cloud and Cybersecurity

Posted on by Tiffany Goddard

Cybersecurity, automation, data analytics and the cloud can improve customer experience (CX) and increase trust in Public Sector institutions. At the 2025 CX and Engagement Summit, thought leaders and Government officials from the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Labor, the U.S. Coast Guard and more, discussed how technology and CX go hand in hand.

As Public institutions work to strengthen their CX, Carahsoft and our partners, such as Box, are here to help guide and support their journey.  

Automation and Analytics for CX

Data analytics can be critical to improving CX and overall agency and organization efficiency. In the session “Leveraging Automation and Analytics to Enhance Customer Experience,” speakers Manny Medrano, the Director of Cybersecurity Monitoring and Operations at the U.S. Department of State, Dan Bauer, Former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the U.S. Department of State and Angy Peterson, the Vice President for Experience Services at Granicus, discussed the many uses of automation and data analytics. Medrano recommends keeping in mind key questions, such as “how is this improving our operations?” and “are we delivering on our mission?” With these framework questions in mind, agencies can better connect data to everyday processes and fulfill day-to-day organizational goals.

Automation can be used to pull more data to improve accuracy and trust in Public systems. Bauer explains that with automation, agencies and organizations can eliminate manual touchpoints, enabling faster, more accurate service delivery. When paired with analytics, automation helps provide insight into system performance. For example, agencies tend to review feedback surveys for dissatisfied users only. With automated analytics, agencies can gather and review analytics that provide the full emotional and behavioral picture. Leadership can also use analytics to locate process steps that are taking an extraneous amount of time, revealing organizational bottlenecks or gaps. By utilizing data and asking the right questions, organizations can refine technology and processes to improve CX.

Utilizing the Cloud for CX-Focused Integration

Users want services that adapt to them, not the other way around. At the panel “Cloud-Powered Customer Experience,” speakers Sanjay Koyani, the Former Executive Director of IT Operation and Services at the Department of Labor, and Kaitlin Klaum, the Senior Team Manager at Box, discussed meeting customer expectations with cloud technology. User experience (UX) must be a top priority to meet customer expectations that services be quick, easy and relevant. Leveraging the cloud helps agencies deliver on these expectations by enabling integration, automation and smarter use of data.

Replacing legacy systems can be expensive, so Koyani recommends agencies prioritize incremental modernization, allowing old and new systems to coexist where appropriate. Klaum asserts that security must be the starting point for any implementation, especially when onboarding new technology. By adopting Zero Trust frameworks, agencies can ensure information remains protected throughout the modernization process. Vendors play a critical role in this journey, partnering with agencies to onboard technology, solve problems and implement solutions that enhance performance.

Understanding Data Analytics for Mission Success

In the session “Data Analytics: Turning Insights into Impact,” speaker Trang Tran, the Deputy Chief Data Officer for Customer and Border Protection, Dan Allen, the Global Head of Customer Success Digital and Security Solutions at Hewlett Packard, and Captain Daniel Rogers, the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard, discussed understanding data to ensure optimal employment.

Tran emphasized that tying data to a clear mission statement ensures reliability, efficiency and effectiveness across an organization.

There are a few ways to promote data literacy across an agency:

Educate employees on the purpose of data, so that they can interpret analytics with the agency’s mission statement in mind.

Create an agency data office to support integration and to help teams understand their data and how to use it effectively.

Build collaborative tools that improve decision-making and make data actionable items.

Share data across agencies, like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

When equipped with data literacy, teams can drive more meaningful improvements to the customer experience.

Allen ties data analytics to mission fulfillment, positing that every team’s actions should be fulfilled through the lens of “how can I better accomplish my mission?” Success depends on every team member understanding the mission goal, regardless of their role. It is important to measure not just output, but the overall effectiveness of services and the CX delivered. Utilizing the right tools to analyze data, such as the latest in information technology, can extract meaningful insights and drive continuous improvement.

Rogers echoes this point, tying great CX to technology, as well as training, intuitive systems and a clearly defined process. By giving employees access to integrated tools and real-time data, businesses can streamline decisions and avoid silos. Accessibility tools, such as user-friendly interfaces and single-click actions, keep systems simple, while contextual help like built-in guides support user understanding. Using the same solution across an enterprise establishes a consistency that is recognizable to consumers. By utilizing data analytics to build on existing tools, agencies can reach customers and build trust.

Integrating Cybersecurity for Usability and Fortification

In the session “Balancing Customer Experience with Cybersecurity,” speakers Steven Boberski, the Public Sector Chief Technology Officer of Genesys, and Densmore Bartly, the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of the U.S. House of Representatives, discussed the integration of cybersecurity and CX. Boberski explains that security is not just technical; it impacts areas like hiring, operations and how people interact with systems. Modern technology- such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation and cloud computing- offer new opportunities to strengthen defenses and enhance CX. Tools such as speech-to-text, call summaries, smart recommendations and autofill enhance customer satisfaction, as well as security, by reducing steps and encrypting data throughout its lifecycle. Prioritizing cybersecurity safeguards both company infrastructure and customer information.

Bartly examines cybersecurity through the lens of Federal policies. While agencies must consider regulations, they can still subscribe to smart, secure policies. Cybersecurity and CX reinforce each other, and the ideal experience is a trifecta of security, functionality and usability. While implementing every best practice and new technology can be expensive, by focusing on customer priorities, agencies can pick the practices best suited for their business model and consumer base.

When choosing new technologies, agencies should follow this four-step process:

Locate business gaps

Define customer needs

Apply new technology

Layer in risk mitigation

Each of these steps lays a stronger foundation for adoption, and when paired with features that communicate a secure, protected experience, they help agencies earn the trust of both employees and customers.

Through the integration of cybersecurity and CX, agencies can deliver on both customer safety and satisfaction, reinforcing confidence in Public institutions.