State Department
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State’s AI chatbot journey started with collaboration
Tech leadership at the State Department gave Nextgov/FCW an exclusive look into how the development of its AI-powered chatbot is going, along with the most important internal processes.
State Department goes big with online passport renewal
The latest pilot has been ongoing since June, but limited in scale. Now, Americans can renew online anytime.
RT is now a main unit of Russian intelligence apparatus, US and allies say
A Kremlin cyber operations unit has been embedded in RT since last year and has gone to global lengths to spread Russian propaganda, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
US joins Council of Europe’s AI and human rights framework
By signing the Framework Convention of artificial intelligence this week, the U.S. pledges to mitigate AI-based discrimination.
Mitigating AI risks requires global cooperation, officials say
The U.S. is looking “to try and build international consensus around a set of norms” for countries’ uses of AI, a State Department official said on Thursday.
Blinken spotlights role of AI in diplomacy
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other State Department leaders explained how AI use cases such as data analysis and translation are already taking hold at the department.
State Department launches limited online passport renewal
The department previously piloted online renewals in 2022.
Legislation seeks to establish AI research partnerships between U.S. and foreign cities
The bill would limit collaborative experimentation to “non-national security areas” of AI.
Most Americans unaware of foreign intel operations’ scope on social media, State Dept. official says
U.S. Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nate Fick’s assessment comes five months before a high-stakes U.S. presidential election.
US sets sights on partnerships to counter cyberthreats, secure AI in new global cyber strategy
An update to US international cyberspace policy will leverage partnerships to defend against cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and help prevent surveillance misuses.
US to unveil new international cyber framework
The last international cyber blueprint came out more than a decade ago from the Obama administration.
State Dept. seeks employee volunteers to test AI chatbot
The State Department is piloting an internal chatbot backed by artificial intelligence technology, and will leverage internal sensitive but unclassified data.
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State Department warns employees of fraud scheme targeting payroll systems
Hackers have been targeting annuity accounts to redirect payroll deposits.
US targets 6 to 8 month timeframe for new nations to join spyware pact
Six new countries joined the agreement last week, and the State Department was working behind the scenes to initially get more signed on.
US accuses Chinese hackers of 14-year campaign targeting government officials
The coordinated charges include sanctions on Chinese government-affiliated hackers and an up to $10 million reward for information about the defendants.
State selects 4 new Science Envoys
Four U.S. scientists and researchers will work in the State Department’s Science Envoy Program.
State is taking an ‘important step’ for planned EHR, as key lawmaker moves to speed it up
State’s Bureau of Medical Services has been working for more than a decade to replace its current paper-based medical record system with an electronic solution to better meet the healthcare needs of its diplomatic corps.
US has shared AI security interests with ‘every country around the world,’ State official says
Seth Center, the State Department’s deputy envoy for critical and emerging technology, broke down the U.S. diplomatic approach to cultivating cohesive regulatory approaches.
State Department to levy visa restrictions on spyware abusers
The move builds on several actions taken by the Biden administration in the past year to counter abusive commercial spyware practices.
USAID wants help in crafting a playbook for global AI uses
The federal government’s latest artificial intelligence guidance is looking to take recommendations from earlier risk management documents.
