The Department of Commerce has announced the formal signing of the public-private consortium agreement for the National Semiconductor Technology Center, through which more than $5 billion in semiconductor research and development investments will be channeled. The NSTC was established under the Biden administration’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act and is one of four R&D programs […]
The National Science Foundation has awarded grants to 15 multidisciplinary teams under Phase 1 of the Convergence Accelerator’s Track M: Bio-inspired Design Innovations. Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for technology, innovation and partnerships, said that bio-inspired design research has shown potential to help in solving complex challenges. He added that through the investment, NSF aims to […]
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has announced that Elizabeth Kelly will serve as the first director of the U.S. AI Safety Institute, a new regulatory body within the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Kelly, who concurrently serves as special assistant to the president for economic policy at the White House National Economic Council, will manage […]
The Federal Communications Commission has banned the use of robocalls using artificial intelligence-generated voices. On Thursday, the commission issued a declaratory ruling making the use of AI-generated voices or audio deepfakes in robocalls illegal. The ruling is the signal for state attorney generals to go after organizations using voice-cloning technologies to scam Americans. The ruling […]
Consulting and technology services company ICF has announced five service agreements totaling $24 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support a range of mental health programs, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Three of the awards are meant to enhance suicide hotline and reporting systems, ICF said Wednesday. The […]
The Senate has allocated more than $260 million for the deployment of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence at the Mexican border in its proposed $118 billion immigration and foreign aid funding bill. The spending package primarily aims to strengthen border security policy by limiting the asylum process and expediting deportations, Nextgov/FCW reported Monday. It would […]
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has extended the Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force’s operations for two years. With the renewal, the task force is expected to continue developing risk-mitigating products using artificial intelligence to address threats posed to ICT supply chain risk management processes. Composed of representatives from the […]
The Department of Homeland Security has announced a new hiring initiative to recruit 50 artificial intelligence experts in 2024. The “AI Corps,” announced by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a past Wash100 awardee, and DHS Chief AI Officer Eric Hysen, will comprise experts in AI and machine learning technologies, models and applications who will focus on […]
Veterans seeking mental health services for readjustment to civilian life are relying on services from vet centers that still lack the key systems and access to the data needed for their outreach activities, officials from the Government Accountability Office and Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General officials told a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on […]
Congressional Democrats have proposed legislation requiring government agencies to study potential consequences artificial intelligence poses on the environment. The “Artificial Intelligence Environmental Impacts Act of 2024” requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create a methodology to evaluate AI’s potential environmental impact. Additionally, the NIST will also be required to create an AI […]
