Carahsoft’s Mike Adams on Moving AI from Talk to Action in Government
The conversation about artificial intelligence in government has shifted. What was once mostly speculation and discussion about ethical boundaries is now about real-world application at scale. Federal, state, local, and higher education agencies are progressing from pilot programs to enterprise-level AI deployment.
This shift demands robust infrastructure, vendor support, and acquisition strategies that can deliver AI quickly and efficiently. Carahsoft is at the center of this transition, helping agencies move beyond experimentation to practical AI use.
AI’s Role in Government Strategy
Mike Adams, Carahsoft’s AI program lead, explains that AI has evolved from a topic of interest to a core part of agency strategies. “AI was something agencies were watching, testing or piloting. That’s changed,” he says. AI now underpins modernization, efficiency, national security, and defense efforts.
Even tools not explicitly labeled as AI often have AI capabilities embedded, aligning with the White House’s AI Action Plan. This plan treats AI as essential for national security and global competitiveness. It encourages agencies to prioritize purchasing AI solutions over building them internally, promoting streamlined acquisition and shared infrastructure.
Carahsoft’s Growing AI Ecosystem
Over the past year, Carahsoft has added nearly 100 new AI vendors to its portfolio, covering areas like generative AI, modeling and simulation, and computer vision. Some vendors are NVIDIA Inception partners; others come through venture capital networks.
With government agencies demanding rapid deployment, Carahsoft focuses on connecting agencies with partners who can deliver diverse AI capabilities. The AI market is expected to see continued consolidation as larger companies acquire startups for talent and technology.
Supporting AI Education and Adoption
Beyond technology, Carahsoft is building a community around government AI adoption. Its AI for Government Summit expanded to a full-day event, attracting nearly 1,000 attendees. Webinars with OpenAI remain popular, prompting plans for weekly in-person training focused on government use cases and hands-on learning.
Carahsoft also supports partners creating AI labs and sandboxes, offering agencies secure environments to test AI tools with minimal risk. Their Conference and Collaboration Center in Reston, Virginia, will host more training sessions, from technical workshops to use-case-focused learning.
From Policy to Practice: Examples of Progress
Agencies are now investing heavily in AI infrastructure. This includes hiring skilled personnel, building dedicated AI data centers, and upgrading systems to be AI-ready.
The General Services Administration’s OneGov initiative is a key example of rapid AI adoption. It provides streamlined access to popular AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude through the Multiple Award Schedule. OpenAI is offering ChatGPT Enterprise for just $1 per federal agency user for one year, enabling public servants to experiment and identify practical AI applications.
Advanced capabilities, such as multimodal models, will be available through “advanced model units,” allowing agencies to scale their AI use flexibly. More companies are expected to offer solutions via OneGov soon.
Advice for Agencies Today
Adams advises agencies to adopt AI with clear purpose. AI shouldn’t be implemented simply because it’s trendy; it must align with mission goals and improve outcomes. He notes that “every project has, or should have, an AI component” to stay current and effective.
For those looking to build AI skills and better understand practical AI applications in government, resources like Complete AI Training’s latest AI courses offer relevant, hands-on learning tailored to government use cases.
The move from AI talk to AI action is well underway. Agencies prepared to integrate AI thoughtfully will find themselves better equipped to meet mission demands and deliver results at scale.
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