Government leaders tout AI successes at Google Cloud Public Sector Summit SPONSORED CONTENT (Getty Images) Mar 10, 2021 | FEDSCOOP
At the outset of the pandemic, public sector organizations saw large spikes in call center activity and website traffic, forcing them to quickly turn their attention to artificial intelligence-enabled tools to help with the initial pandemic response.
According to Marco Palermo, director of digital government and modernization for the City of Toronto, their initial AI pilot program has been so successful for the city that leaders are looking at other programs where they can expand the tool’s use.
“Getting information out to our citizens was extremely important. And we were looking for alternative channels to deliver that information,” Palermo recalled in December 2020 at the Google Cloud Public Sector Summit.
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//]]>// >By John K. Higgins
Jan 29, 2021 4:00 AM PT
The incoming presidential administration has proposed a stunning increase in support of federal investments in high technology. As part of the administration s plan to deal with the economic impact of COVID-19, the Biden proposal includes $10 billion for various federal information technology programs.
The single most visible component of the plan is a proposal to allocate $9 billion for the federal Technology Modernization Fund (TMF). The fund was created by the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017, and provides an innovative funding vehicle that gives agencies additional ways to deliver services to the American public more quickly, better secure sensitive systems and data, and use taxpayer dollars more efficiently, according to the General Services Administration (GSA). Projects approved for support from the fund receive incremental funding and technical expertise to ensure project success.
Fed’s Authentication Service Comes to State, Local Gov
The General Services Administration is now offering login.gov, an authentication and identity verification service, to state and local governments. Some restrictions do apply. Fingerprint Flickr/CPOA
Some state and local governments can now take advantage of login.gov, an authentication and identity-proofing service developed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
According to the GSA blog, the service will be provided to a “limited number of state and local government partners” that administer federally funded programs. Governments are encouraged to reach out to GSA here.
The service is managed by GSA organization Technology Transformation Services (TTS). The blog states that TTS “will limit engagements with state and local entities to work that is linked to federal programs in which TTS is uniquely positioned to provide assistance.”