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My Cup of IT: AI Protests, Plugs, & Politics

AI is moving from pilot project to procurement problem. The Army is already facing a protest over a $450 million contract award that allegedly relied on AI in the acquisition process. Translation: AI may be helping agencies buy technology — and soon it may be helping lawyers protest those purchases.

Meanwhile, NIST wants to put AI to work on the National Vulnerability Database. The agency issued a request for information looking at how AI could improve vulnerability assessment, risk management, and remediation. That is a pretty good use case: fewer spreadsheets, more finding the holes before somebody else does.

Then there’s the Hugging Face breach. Security experts are warning that AI could dramatically accelerate exploitation of newly disclosed vulnerabilities. One former NSA cyber chief called it among the most consequential hacks in recent years. Federal agencies should take note. AI is not just changing defense. It is changing the speed of offense, too.

And the China cyber story isn’t going away. A House investigation found Chinese telecom companies maintained footholds involving U.S. networks, data centers, and connectivity despite federal restrictions.

Bottom line: Speed, Safety, and Sino Switches.

Steve O'Keeffe
About Steve O'Keeffe
The most connected executive in the government technology community – O'Keeffe is an accomplished entrepreneur and tech-policy expert, with 30 years’ experience as an innovator at the crossroads of government and industry. He founded MeriTalk, O'Keeffe & Company, 300Brand, among other entities. O'Keeffe is a fixture on the Hill, in both the House and Senate, testifying on IT, budget, government workforce, and the requirement to modernize government IT to enhance outcomes for the American people and government employees. He is a champion for change, simplification, transparency, and clear communication of IT value without jargon. A committed philanthropist, O'Keeffe has served for 15 years on the USO-Metro Board of Directors – Vice Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Annual Awards Dinner. He started his career as a journalist – O'Keeffe has contributed to The Economist, Government Executive, Signal Magazine, The Washington Post, and, of course, MeriTalk.