The Future is Bright for Artificial Intelligence Adoption in the US Government under the new Biden Administration

“I will make investment in research and development a cornerstone of my presidency, so that the United States is leading the charge in innovation. There is no reason we should be falling behind China or anyone else when it comes to clean energy, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, 5G, high-speed rail, or the race to end cancer as we know it,” then candidate Joe Biden, told Foreign Affairs last spring.

On December 27th, former President Donald Trump signed the FY2021 omnibus spending package including: $671.5 billion in base defense spending, $656.5 billion in non-defense spending, $77 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations spending, and $3.1 billion in emergency funding to fund agency operations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across the board, spending for AI related activities including R&D were up, and that spending will not change in 2021. However, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 includes provisions for the GSA to establish an “AI Center of Excellence.” It also directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in conjunction with this newly created office “to recommend approaches to remove barriers for use by agencies of artificial intelligence technologies in order to promote the innovative application of those technologies while protecting civil liberties, civil rights, and economic and national security.”

President Biden has promoted the head of the OSTP to a cabinet level position. At the same time, The President appointed Dr. Maria Zubar and Dr. Eric Lander to co-chair the OSTP. Dr. Zubar’s career includes overseeing MIT Lincoln Laboratory and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research laboratories and centers, including the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

MIT Lincoln Laboratories is arguably the best research center in the world for AI, and Dr. Zubar has been a huge proponent of developing ethical and equitable AI technology for years (I suggest watching her YouTube Videos). AI developments from Lincoln Labs oftentimes have implications in the DoD and Intelligence Community.

Dr. Lander, another MIT professor, is no stranger to AI as well. As a leader in the Human Genome Project, his mathematician background lead the way in genomics research, ultimately unlocking the human genome. With these two highly regarded researchers at the helm of OSTP, and an office being elevated to a Cabinet-level position, AI R&D will be a priority of the President Biden’s administration.

By far, the largest portion of discretionary spending is the Defense budget. Although President Biden is receiving some pressure to reduce Defense spending, there is no indication that he will actually suggest a reduction in budget. The DoD is supporting countless jobs right now as the economy continues to be ravaged by COVID-19. The president has stated that AI in the DoD will continue to be a priority as it was under the former administration. Utilizing AI to combat the threat of near peer threats seems to have overwhelming bipartisan support.

Near peer threats generally refers to other nations who are not allies of the United States that are competing for global influence and could pose a significant challenge to the U.S. in a hypothetical war. The term is usually a reference to China and Russia.  

Biden nominated and the Senate confirmed General, U.S. Army (Ret.) and Former Commander of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM), Lloyd J. Austin III as the Secretary of Defense. He served as commander of USCENTCOM from March 22, 2013, to March 30, 2016.

During his deployments to USCENTCOM, there is no doubt that Secretary Austin saw the power of ISR platforms using AI for computer vision. After his retirement, Austin took board positions at Untied Technologies (Now Raytheon), Nucor (A steel company) and Tenet Healthcare. Raytheon is arguable THE leader of several areas that AI is currently being used including: radar and various sensors, intelligence and targeting systems, space and satellite advancement, and hypersonic missile development. Although it is unknown, it can reasonably be assumed that Secretary Austin has been integral in getting AI into systems being used by the DoD, and understands the power and importance of AI.

The next largest portion of discretionary spending is the Department of Veterans Affairs at just over $100B in spending for FY2021. Currently, Mr. Dat Tran is the acting secretary. Mr. Denis McDonough is expected to be confirmed soon. Acting Secretary Tran was the chief data officer for the VA, and serves as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary (PDAS) for the Office of Enterprise Integration (OEI) in the VA.

Tran has overseen massive technological shift toward AI and modern healthcare through digital transformation, and even stood up the VA’s National Artificial Intelligence Institute. By all measures, McDonough will lean heavily on Tran’s knowledge and advice as he transitions into his role. However, McDonough is no stranger to the largest technological shift in our generation. He was a professor Notre Dame teaching policy analysis. McDonough was appointed senior principal at the Markle Foundation in February 2017. In this role, he is working to address the skills gap, particularly in light of the looming artificial intelligence revolution. With Secretary McDonough at the helm of the VA, Ai efforts and technological modernization of the VA will continue to be a priority.

The last department I will comment on specifically is the Department of Health and Human Services. Coming in at just under $100B in FY2021 spending, you can expect funding for this Department to increase dramatically, as healthcare is a top priority for Progressives in Congress and the Biden administration. President Biden is replacing a Health Care Executive, Alex Azar, with California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Regardless, the American Public is asking for more services than ever from HHS. These demands are further exasperated by the ongoing pandemic. Just before the Inauguration, HHS named the first ever Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO), Oki Mek. With a capable government leader at the helm of a Department that will make massive growth in budget, capabilities and services in the next four years, expect exponential AI development and adoption at HHS.

Expect similar trends with regards to adoption of AI across the rest of the Federal Government. The Department of Education ($66.6B), Homeland Security ($49.7B), Housing and Urban Development ($47.9B), Sate Department (44.1B), and NASA ($25.2B) are all getting forward leaning leaders while expanding public services and mission scope. Expect all of these agencies to exponentially adopt AI to further capabilities.

I am beyond excited to work with the Federal Government on the largest technological transformation I will see in my lifetime. The future is bright for AI in the new administration, and I am thrilled to be in the career field and industry I am in.