GSA says government lags industry on AI, seeks private-sector help
The General Services Administration is playing catch-up with the private sector on technology and artificial intelligence, agency head Edward Forst said Tuesday at the IBM Think Gov 2026 conference in Washington, D.C.
Forst described the modernization effort as slow but deliberate, with focus on early wins and measurable goals. The administration is "outcome-driven" and needs industry partners to succeed, he said.
Centralizing government access
One priority is expanding Login.gov into a unified entry point for federal services. This would give citizens a single way to access government programs rather than navigating separate portals.
"I view it in our context as just catching up to yesterday," Forst said, noting the agency has moved away from framing modernization in terms of revenue generation.
Forst acknowledged that early missteps could derail progress. "If we stumble in the early days of doing more of this, it's going to disable us to get to where they do want us to be," he said.
AI deployment faces caution
Jennifer Rostami, assistant commissioner of GSA's Technology Transformation Services, said government must be conservative with AI for Government because public safety is at stake.
"We can't introduce something that then makes mistakes, and then somebody in the public is suffering because of that," Rostami said. This caution slows innovation, but agencies are experimenting with AI Agents & Automation nonetheless.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is using AI to automate repetitive tasks like processing health benefits. "We make decisions on simple things within hours," said Richelle Gibson, the agency's deputy director. "That's a massively different experience for veterans."
Worker concerns block adoption
Hesitation among government employees remains a barrier to AI rollout, Gibson said. Staff fear the technology will eliminate their jobs.
Building trust requires listening to those concerns. "Don't forget the people," Gibson said, "even though we're dealing with technology, because their use of the technology is what determines if it's successful or not."
Forst said he needs engagement across stakeholder groups-from industry to Congress to the White House. "I've never had more bosses than I have right now," he said.
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