The Wrap: DoT Gets Serious About Quantum; US Leads China in AI; HHS Failing at Cyber

Welcome to The Wrap for Friday, November 29!

From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in Federal tech news. Here’s what you need to know today:

DoT Gets Serious About Quantum

Quantum computing can be a tough subject to understand, but the Department of Transportation is looking to be ahead of the curve when it comes to quantum. The agency issued a new report on Tuesday, “Quantum Technologies in Transportation,” identifying 18 priority areas where quantum technologies could optimize transportation across all modes. It also set a timeline for near-term quantum applications DoT could implement in the next one to three years. DoT’s new report summarizes findings from a July 2024 workshop it hosted with more than 180 quantum tech professionals from industry, academia, and other government agencies. “Our workshop identified transformative opportunities in which quantum technologies may serve each mode of transportation,” DoT wrote in the report. “By starting now, we can be ready when our Nation experiences a quantum watershed moment, like for artificial intelligence in 2023.” Some examples of key quantum programs that DoT can start now include: network optimization, machine learning for safety and maintenance, computational fluid dynamics, time synchronization and holdover, position and navigation, and leak detection.

US Leads China in AI

The United States is the global leader in artificial intelligence with China in a “distant second,” according to a newly released index from Stanford University. The Global Vibrancy Tool 2024 from the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI) measures a country’s AI ecosystem based on key indicators including research papers, private investment, patents, and more. The tool analyzed data from 36 countries to find that the U.S. leads in several key areas, especially in private AI investments. Key takeaways: According to the report, the U.S. far outpaced China in private investment, reaching $67.22 billion in 2023 compared to China’s $7.76 billion. With notable AI companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta headquartered in the U.S., it’s no surprise that the nation produced more notable machine learning models – producing 61 models in 2023 compared to China’s 15. The United States also gained points for taking a proactive stance in AI regulation, passing a total of 23 AI-related laws since 2017. Behind the U.S. and China, the other countries that made the top 10 include the United Kingdom, India, the United Arab Emirates, France, South Korea, Germany, Japan, and Singapore.

HHS Failing at Cyber, GAO Says

As cyberattacks continue to target hospitals and other healthcare organizations, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is failing to meet some of its bigger-picture cybersecurity goals for the sector. That’s according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). “As the lead federal agency for the healthcare and public health critical infrastructure sector, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has faced challenges in carrying out its cybersecurity responsibilities,” GAO said. What kind of responsibilities? HHS is responsible for strengthening cybersecurity in the healthcare sector, including coordinating with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). GAO said HHS needs to do more work on a range of security issues and recommendations that the watchdog agency delivered to HHS in reports over the past four years. Those include assessing appropriate cybersecurity practices, developing evaluation procedures for ransomware risk reduction, and performing risk evaluations of Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology (OT) devices.

Ware in the CIGIE Chair

Congrats to Hannibal “Mike” Ware, inspector general (IG) for the Small Business Administration (SBA) and acting IG for the Social Security Administration (SSA), who has been tapped to serve as the new chair of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE). Ware will begin his two-year term on Jan. 1, 2025. He is replacing Mark Lee Greenblatt, IG for the Department of the Interior, who has served as CIGIE chair since January 2023. “I am honored to serve as CIGIE Chairperson,” Ware said in a Nov. 19 statement. “I started my career in the IG community, and after almost 35 years of Federal IG experience, I’m looking forward to celebrating our rich history, allowing the past to inform our present, and building upon our core tenets of independence and objectivity.”

Once again, let’s “call IT a day,” but we'll bring you more next week. Until then, please check the MeriTalk breaking news website throughout the day for the latest on government IT people, process, and policy.

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