U.S. Tech Force launches to accelerate AI across federal agencies
The Trump administration announced a new hiring and development program to embed AI talent across government. Called the U.S. Tech Force, it's expected to bring roughly 1,000 technologists into two-year roles focused on speeding up AI adoption and modernizing critical systems.
Backed by the White House and coordinated by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the initiative will take on high-impact challenges across finance, defense, transportation, benefits delivery, and more. Think Treasury infrastructure, advanced defense initiatives, and service delivery upgrades across civilian agencies - all with a clear mandate: ship improvements that matter to the public.
What this means for agencies
The cohort will work on data modernization, digital service delivery, and AI-enabled capabilities across dozens of departments and bureaus. Positions are not political appointments; they're built to strengthen government technology and operations. Participants will report directly to agency leadership and collaborate with leading technology companies that can provide training and mentorship.
Initial placements span agencies such as the Department of Transportation, Internal Revenue Service, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, with additional work at Treasury and the Department of Defense.
How the talent pipeline works
Recruiting will prioritize early-career technologists through a partnership with the nonpartisan NobleReach Foundation. These hires will serve two-year federal terms, working inside agencies on mission-focused projects. OPM Director Scott Kupor recently met with NobleReach Scholars and highlighted their strong technical skill and public service mindset.
The NobleReach Scholars Program has already connected dozens of recent STEM and business graduates to roles across eight federal agencies and 10 state and local partners. Tech Force extends that model at a larger scale, with a sharper focus on AI, cybersecurity, and data science.
Timeline and structure
- Program lead: Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Roles: Two-year federal terms; non-political appointments
- Focus: AI implementation, data modernization, digital services, cybersecurity
- Placement: Dozens of agencies; direct reporting to agency leaders
- Target size: ~1,000 technologists
- First cohort: Expected to be assembled by the end of March (as reported by FedScoop)
Practical steps for federal leaders to get ready
- Identify 2-3 high-impact projects with measurable outcomes (e.g., fraud reduction, faster claims processing, stronger cyber posture).
- Confirm data access, governance, and privacy requirements ahead of onboarding.
- Assign a clear product owner, technical lead, and stakeholder group with decision authority.
- Pre-clear toolchains and environments with security, privacy, and procurement teams.
- Define success metrics, delivery milestones, and a weekly or biweekly review cadence.
- Plan for onboarding: mission brief, systems access, points of contact, and escalation paths.
- Forecast clearance needs early to avoid delays.
What participants can expect
Engineers, data scientists, designers, and product managers will ship work that reaches millions of Americans. They'll collaborate with agency leaders and benefit from technical training and mentorship provided by partner companies. After the two-year term, participants can pursue roles in government or with partner firms such as Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Robinhood, Uber, and Zoom.
Policy context
The announcement follows a series of presidential actions on AI. Earlier measures focused on expanding AI infrastructure and reducing unnecessary barriers, and a recent executive order sets a federal regulatory framework - aiming for consistency across states and agencies.
For a broader view of federal AI efforts and resources, see AI.gov. For guidance on hiring and workforce policy, visit OPM.
Why this matters for your team
Many agencies have backlogs tied to data quality, legacy systems, or manual workflows. Tech Force gives you a way to put skilled people on those problems with a tight mission focus and executive sponsorship. The opportunity is straightforward: define a valuable outcome, clear the path, and empower the team to deliver.
Quick checklist
- Pick the mission problem. Write the one-sentence outcome you want in 12 months.
- List the systems and data sources involved. Identify owners and access steps.
- Map dependencies: security reviews, ATOs, vendors, legal reviews, and comms.
- Stand up a small cross-functional team with a single accountable leader.
- Set metrics that tie to cost, time, accuracy, or customer satisfaction.
A cultural note
In a launch video, Tech Force is framed as "America's coding renaissance," even drawing a comparison to the Manhattan Project. Take the message as a signal of ambition: this is a call for focused execution at scale. Agencies that show up prepared will capture the most value, fastest.
Upskilling while you prepare
If you're building internal capacity alongside Tech Force support, you can explore curated training by role here: AI courses by job.
Your membership also unlocks:
