As Federal agencies continue to see cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a “radical change” is needed across the Federal government to invest in artificial intelligence technologies and make their use a national priority.
That’s one of the key takeaways from MeriTalk’s upcoming study, “Tech Tonic: 2025 Federal CAIO Outlook,” which MeriTalk Founder Steve O’Keeffe previewed on Thursday evening in Washington, D.C., at Tech Tonic.
“As we look at the cuts that are happening with DOGE, it seems the only way we’re going to get the agencies running is by implementing new technologies a lot more aggressively, and artificial intelligence will be increased,” O’Keeffe said.
“There are some very challenging findings in the report, and I think we need to be real about that, especially at this time,” he emphasized.
The report – which comes out on March 17 – is based on insights from 10 Federal chief AI officers (CAIOs).
According to the findings that O’Keeffe previewed, 85 percent of CAIOs predict AI will transform their agencies by 2030, but 100 percent say they lack the funding or resources to meet their goals.
Additionally, the CAIOs said the current leadership structure is an obstacle to AI progress. For example, 88 percent of participating CAIOs report juggling multiple roles, yet 100 percent say the position demands full-time dedication.
Nevertheless, O’Keeffe noted that only 29 percent of CAIOs say they have the authority to advocate for meaningful change, adding, “So, I think we’re going to see a radical transformation.”
“We’re driving this study as it’s released into the White House to provide a benchmark for where we are today,” he said. “As far as our recommendations, they are for radical change: empower AI leadership, fund AI infrastructure, invest in AI talent, and rapidly move beyond pilots – and I think that’s exactly what we’re going to see.”
The full report with additional insights from the Federal CAIOs for Monday will be published here on Monday.
