Federal agencies expand AI use for workforce and procurement, but culture change remains key
Federal agencies are moving AI beyond email summaries into core operations like workforce planning, procurement, and inspection work, according to leaders from the General Services Administration and National Guard Bureau speaking at IBM Think Gov 2026 on June 9.
The National Guard is prioritizing AI for Government applications in skills matching and workforce planning. Delester Brown Jr., chief data and AI officer at the National Guard Bureau, said the military struggles to identify the full range of expertise Guard members bring from their civilian careers.
"How do we work with this workforce and put them to real work that they're really, really good at?" Brown said.
The Guard is testing AI tools to match skills with assignments and improve career pathing across its force structure.
Procurement and acquisition
Defense organizations have historically failed to communicate requirements clearly to contractors, creating acquisition inefficiencies. AI Agents & Automation can analyze past solicitations, spot gaps, evaluate outcomes, and help agencies write stronger contract language, Brown said.
The GSA and Agriculture Department offer a concrete example of AI moving from testing to production. They partnered to deploy computer vision technology to assess meat marbling - work traditionally done by human inspectors.
"We built the first model in partnership with USDA," said Jennifer Rostami, assistant commissioner for technology talent within GSA's Technology Transformation Services.
What's not being publicized
Public inventories of approved AI use cases understate the scope of agency experimentation, Rostami said. Agencies are testing AI far beyond the email summarization and basic task automation that gets reported publicly.
Federal officials must balance innovation with accountability. "As the government, we are responsible to the public to be conservative with what we do," Rostami said.
Culture and education matter most
Technology investments alone won't drive adoption. Brown said successful AI implementation depends on workforce education, culture change, and consistent policies across military, civilian, and contractor teams.
"Part of my job, 80% of it was education and empowerment," Brown said. "I'm here to break and change culture."
Agencies should view AI as a tool to augment human expertise, not replace workers. Brown reframed his work as "amplified intelligence" - using technology to strengthen what employees already do well.
Your membership also unlocks:
