Federal agencies must now pay to access USAi, the government's artificial intelligence platform that was previously free for government employees. The shift comes as other AI procurement vehicles through the General Services Administration are set to expire at the end of this month with no public replacement plan in place.
An update posted to the GSA website this week confirmed the new cost structure: a "platform fee plus passthrough usage costs." The agency did not respond to a request for comment or specifics about the pricing before publication.
OneGov AI deals face expiration
Several AI offerings available through GSA's OneGov agreements - including OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude - expire at the end of this month. The path forward remains unclear, at least publicly. GSA has not announced replacement contracts or extensions for these tools.
Birgit Smeltzer, director of the agency's Office of IT Products, addressed the situation at a GovCIO Media & Research event in August. "We continue to work very closely with the original equipment manufacturers to get extension of those offers, or maybe get new offers in place," she said.
Smeltzer added that some manufacturers have "already agreed to extend some limited-time offers, and some are looking at producing new offers." She said the agency evaluates "what makes sense for the government and what may not have taken flight so much, and put some offers out there that work for our agencies."
What the pricing change signals
The move to charge for USAi marks a shift in how GSA funds its AI infrastructure. Free access had lowered the barrier for agencies to experiment with the platform. Paid access, combined with expiring OneGov deals, could force agencies to make budget decisions about which AI tools they continue using - and which they drop.
Agencies that built workflows around USAi or specific OneGov products may face disruption if replacement contracts lag or pricing models change significantly from what teams have grown accustomed to.
Why this matters for government professionals
If your agency relies on USAi or any OneGov AI tool, review your current usage and contract status now. The end-of-month expiration for ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude means procurement teams should confirm whether extensions are in place or start planning for gaps. For USAi, budget for the new platform and usage fees before the costs hit - waiting for guidance could leave your team without access to tools they depend on.
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