Emerging Tech
Democrats move to defend CHIPS following Trump’s calls for its removal
Following President Trump’s congressional address lambasting the landmark Biden administration bill, Democrats sounded off on Monday in its defense.
People
FTC removes around a dozen staff
Employees across the Federal Trade Commission’s offices were notified of the firings on Friday.
People
NIST fires over 70 probationary employees
Terminations also occurred at the National Technical Information Service, despite the California court ruling that the government's personnel agency doesn't have the authority to order firings.
Policy
Trade group urges Commerce secretary to support the work of subagencies
The Business Software Alliance said international alliances, export control regimes and standards harmonization efforts can all support the Department of Commerce’s advancement of U.S. tech.
People
NSF begins reinstating probationary employees
Following the federal court ruling, the Office of Personnel Management told agencies to begin the reinstatement of unlawfully terminated probationary employees.
People
Trump nominates Paul Dabbar as Commerce deputy secretary
Dabbar previously worked in the Department of Energy during the first Trump administration, and will now focus on global trade and technology for Commerce.
Emerging Tech
AWS unveils its quantum chip prototype, Ocelot
The company joins the ranks of IBM, Google and Microsoft in launching an early stage chip designed to further quantum computing needs.
Emerging Tech
OSTP director nominee promises to center ‘American leadership’ in emerging tech work
Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Michael Kratsios, identified innovating in AI and quantum as two of his major priorities.
Emerging Tech
Microsoft debuts new superconductor chip designed for quantum computing
The newly termed “topoconductor,” Majorana 1, is designed to support large qubit data processing for a future quantum computer.
Digital Government
168 employees fired at National Science Foundation
“Panch has been conveniently absent throughout this whole time,” said an internal email an NSF worker sent to fellow colleagues, referring to Sethuraman Panchanathan, NSF’s director.
Modernization
Employees helming the U.S. nuclear stockpile among those terminated
Probational employees at Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration were fired on Thursday as concerns over DOGE access to sensitive information mounts.
Emerging Tech
National Labs have seen mixed impacts from Trump spending freeze
During a House hearing, four directors of different U.S. national laboratories offered insight into how federal funding interruptions have shaped their work.
Artificial Intelligence
Vance calls for more open AI policy at Paris summit
Vice President JD Vance laid out the Trump administration’s priorities on artificial intelligence policy with an emphasis on unleashing American innovation via lighter-touch regulations.
People
DOGE deputies land at State Department tech bureau with USAID emails
One of the people, 19-year-old Edward Coristine, reportedly had extensive interactions with cybercrime groups.
Emerging Tech
DARPA taps Microsoft, PsiQuantum for scalable quantum computer research
As part of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, the two companies are now in negotiations under the validation and co-design phase of the quantum computing program.
Artificial Intelligence
DHS must do more to appropriately govern AI, watchdog finds
An oversight report from DHS's OIG noted the agency's many big steps in AI governance, but added specific areas that need to be updated to advance safe federal uses of the tools.
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI brings its large language models to Energy’s national labs
As OpenAI expands access to its large language models to all national labs, scientists at nationals labs anticipate workloads that usually take decades to be reduced to “two or three” years.
People
Trump’s FBI pick opposes warrant requirement for contested spying power
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kash Patel said a warrant for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act “is just not comported with the requirement to protect American citizenry.”
Emerging Tech
Trump’s Commerce pick backs light-touch regulation in emerging tech policy
Howard Lutnick voiced robust support for U.S. leadership in AI and quantum information sciences alongside a light touch regulatory approach.
Artificial Intelligence