Federal agency use cases for generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies rose sharply last year, signaling increased interest in GenAI tech deployments across the 11 agencies reviewed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in a new report.
Despite the increase in GenAI use cases, GAO also said the government continues to face implementation challenges for GenAI tech.
GenAI use cases increased from 32 to 282 between 2023 and 2024, GAO found in a report a its report out July 29. Many of those use cases were developed by the Department of Energy, with the departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security following behind.
The only agency surveyed by GAO that didn’t report any GenAI use cases was NASA as of June 2024.
Meanwhile overall AI use cases doubled across the two-years period, going from 571 to 1,100, according to GAO.
“Recent growth in AI capabilities has spurred a corresponding rise in public interest,” said GAO. “Developments in generative AI – which can create text, images, audio, video, and other content when prompted by a user – have revolutionized how the technology can be used in many industries.”
AT the agencies that GAO reviewed, about 84 percent of GenAI use cases are for mission-support activities, government services, and health and medicine. Most of those use cases were in the initiated phase as of last year, while around 30 percent of GenAI systems were still in developmental stages.
Of the 282 use cases, 123 were in an implementation and assessment phase or operation and maintenance stage, or were retired
The growth of AI use cases at Federal agencies hasn’t been without its challenges. According to the watchdog report, agency officials frequently cited issues with Federal policy and guidance compliance, having sufficient technical resources and funding, maintaining up-to-date appropriate use policies, and addressing system bias and reliability.
Most of the agencies reviewed by GAO in the new report said that current policy could present adoption obstacles, while four agencies reported rapid evolution of GenAI policies and practices.
“To inform their generative AI policies and begin to address challenges, selected agencies reported using a suite of frameworks and other relevant guidance to assist in their use and management of generative AI,” said GAO, adding that agencies are also collaborating with each other to address obstacles.
Federal officials have also said they are working to implement requirements under the April White House Office of Management and Budget memo that directs agencies to accelerate the use of AI by zeroing in on innovation, governance, and public trust.
This will help “develop and publicly release AI strategies for identifying and removing barriers and addressing challenges previously cited,” said GAO.
“These strategies are to include, among other things, plans to address infrastructure and workforce needs, processes to facilitate AI investment or procurement, and plans to ensure access to quality data for AI and data traceability,” added GAO.