Author Archive
Alexandra Kelley
Staff Correspondent, Nextgov/FCW
Alexandra Kelley reports on emerging technology for Nextgov/FCW. Her most recent post was covering breaking news for The Hill where she focused on a variety of quantitative subjects, including Big Tech and the economy, in addition to covering the coronavirus pandemic since late 2019. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2017. If you have a tip you'd like to share, Alexandra can be securely contacted at alexak17.64 on Signal.
Artificial Intelligence
Argonne launches high-performance computing-backed AI research service
The new platform headquartered at Argonne National Laboratory grants Department of Energy researchers remote access to advanced AI models for scientific discovery.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Mitigating risks to critical infrastructure; incentivizing domestic high-tech manufacturing; and more
Tech- and cyber-focused bills rolled out this week include measures to develop a biotech-savvy workforce, support state and local tech modernization efforts and better understand the cyber needs of small businesses.
- By Edward Graham and Alexandra Kelley
Emerging Tech
Commerce commits to funding incentives with 9 companies to spur quantum development
The letters of intent provide over $2 billion in funding from the CHIPS and Science Act to spur research and development in fault-tolerant quantum computing.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Cybersecurity
Draft executive order would set deadlines for digital signature and key quantum encryption
The developing order on post-quantum cryptography sets rigid deadlines for quantum-resistant cryptography updates, underscoring that contractors need to migrate to certain standards by 2030.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
Anticipated executive order could give NSA a role in voluntary AI model testing
The order, which is expected this week, comes as the Trump administration grapples with the national security implications of advanced cyber-focused AI models like Anthropic’s Mythos.
- By Alexandra Kelley and David DiMolfetta
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Mandatory AI RMF usage; AI for energy generation and storage; and more
New legislative proposals aim to use artificial intelligence to improve energy generation and storage, along with government workflows and women’s health care.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
NIST aims for summer release of AI cyber guidelines
Draft iterations of cybersecurity guidance for AI-driven threats across different types of emerging systems are in development as the federal government wades into AI model risk assessments.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Limiting data harvesting; AI for financial fraud prevention; and more
Although Congress was off this week, lawmakers still introduced several measures looking to examine the use of AI tools and protect mass gathering from malicious drone threats.
- By Alexandra Kelley and Edward Graham
Artificial Intelligence
Pentagon will ‘never again’ rely on a single AI provider, official says
Defense Under Secretary for Research and Engineering Emil Michael said new agreements with Big Tech companies are a “counterstatement” to the ongoing Anthropic-Pentagon conflict as the agency prioritizes flexible contracts.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
FDA launches updated AI and consolidated data platform
The Food and Drug Administration’s flagship internal AI tool, Elsa, is being integrated with the data platform so that staff can accomplish work more easily.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
Commerce AI center will evaluate Google Deepmind, Microsoft and xAI models
A renegotiated deal between the three companies and the Center for Artificial Intelligence Standards and Innovation allows private sector models to undergo safety testing in classified environments.
- By Alexandra Kelley
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Artificial Intelligence
Trump admin floats policy language limiting contractor say on agency uses of technology
Ongoing drafts of policy documents feature language that would limit the private sector’s ability to dictate how their artificial intelligence models are used in government missions, according to sources familiar with their development.
- By Alexandra Kelley and David DiMolfetta
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Codifying NAIRR; Protecting government employees’ data; and more
The tech bills introduced during the last week of April covered issues like codifying the Creating Resources for Every American to Experiment with Artificial Intelligence Act, requiring reporting for AI use in FISA operations and improving AI literacy at the K-12 level.
- By Alexandra Kelley and Edward Graham
Artificial Intelligence
Pentagon makes agreements with 8 companies to add AI to classified networks
Advanced AI capabilities from NVIDIA, OpenAI, SpaceX, Reflection, AWS, Microsoft, Oracle and Google will be made available at Impact Level 6 and 7.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI makes frontier model available to critical cyber defenders
The announcement of GPT-5.5-Cyber follows Anthropic’s debut of its own Mythos AI, which the company said has already uncovered thousands of cyber vulnerabilities.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
White House is drafting plans to permit federal Anthropic use
The move suggests the Trump administration is easing its stance on the AI company, which faced a Pentagon supply chain risk designation and phaseout directive.
- By David DiMolfetta and Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI announces availability across cloud providers
The artificial intelligence developer updated its terms and conditions with Microsoft, announcing that its suite of agentic capabilities would now be available via other cloud providers.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Artificial Intelligence
Lieu and Obernolte introduce consolidated AI bill package
The American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Act takes provisions from previous bills and the 2024 Bipartisan AI Task Force report to move forward AI policies with support from both sides of the aisle.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Creating data privacy standards; Securing critical infrastructure from drones; and more
Congressional lawmakers introduced a raft of proposals this week, including bills to balance the power needs of data centers with consumer energy costs and to establish guidelines on the types of advanced semiconductors that can be sold to China.
- By Edward Graham, Alexandra Kelley, David DiMolfetta and Natalie Alms
Emerging Tech
House lawmakers introduce quantum initiative reauthorization
The House version of the NQIA Reauthorization runs in parallel with the Senate version, with industry reacting well to its application-focused language.
- By Alexandra Kelley