AI Week in Review - 5/3/25

The Highlights

White House Seeks Input on AI R&D Plan

The Story
The White House is looking for input on the National AI R&D Strategic Plan

More Details

• OSTP is seeking public input to update the National AI R&D Strategic Plan by May 29, 2025.

• Focus areas include national security, foundational research, and public sector AI use.

• Comments must be non-confidential and submitted via Regulations.gov using Docket ID NSF-2025-OGC-0001.

• Plan aligns with EO 14179, which aims to boost U.S. AI leadership and innovation.

The Details

Federal

White House seeks input to revise national AI research and development plan
The White House is seeking public input to rewrite the national AI research and development plan to bolster U.S. competitiveness, following shifts under both Trump and Biden administrations.

Army rolls out GenAI workspace to improve daily ops
The Army launched a secure generative AI workspace to boost efficiency but is also consolidating cloud contracts to control soaring compute costs.

GAO flags data gaps in federal AI
GAO head Gene Dodaro warned of poor federal data quality impacting AI efforts and revealed ongoing audits into the White House's DOGE program’s access to key agency systems.

Securing America's compute advantage: Anthropic’s position on the diffusion rule
Anthropic urges the U.S. to tighten AI export controls under the Diffusion Rule to protect national security, curb chip smuggling, and preserve America’s lead in AI infrastructure and compute power.

Ex-NSA cyber-boss: AI will soon be a great exploit coder
Former NSA cybersecurity chief Rob Joyce warns that AI is rapidly becoming capable of finding software bugs and developing exploits, posing serious risks to digital defenses in the near future.

Lack of understanding holding back military AI adoption
Military leaders say AI adoption is hindered not by fear but by a lack of understanding, emphasizing the need to simplify and demystify the technology for wider use.

Federal innovation thrives under pressure with AI and automation
Amid budget cuts and uncertainty, U.S. federal agencies are turning to GenAI and automation to sustain mission delivery, drive innovation, and maximize productivity with limited resources.

DOD taps AI veteran Douglas Matty to lead digital transformation
The Department of Defense has named Douglas Matty as its new Chief Digital and AI Officer, bringing decades of AI and national security leadership to accelerate battlefield decision-making.

Customs and Border Protection’s AI investments won’t erase need for officers, nominee says
CBP nominee Rodney Scott told senators that while AI enhances border security through non-intrusive inspections, human officers remain essential for decision-making and threat assessment.

State / Local

CA Gov details GenAI expansion
Governor Newsom announced new generative AI projects to reduce traffic, improve road safety, and enhance call center efficiency across California state agencies.

North Carolina names first AI governance and policy leader
North Carolina appoints I-Sah Hsieh as its first AI Governance and Policy Leader to guide ethical, secure, and innovative AI adoption across the state.

MTA wants AI to flag 'problematic behavior' in NYC subways
The MTA plans to deploy AI to monitor subway platforms for problematic behavior and alert police, aiming to enhance safety without using facial recognition.

AI-powered tool to accelerate LA wildfire recovery permit approvals
California is providing LA City and County with a free AI-powered e-check tool to accelerate building permit approvals and fast-track recovery from recent wildfires.

AI can create real government efficiency
Maryland’s AI-powered Unified Benefits Screener is helping residents quickly check eligibility for vital programs like Medicaid and SNAP, setting a model for efficient, ethical AI in government.

MA builds AI talent to battle cyber threats
Massachusetts is simultaneously cultivating AI talent through university partnerships and bracing for rising cyber threats, as state leaders warn of increasingly rapid AI-driven attacks on government systems.

MA unveils new K-12 AI strategy
Massachusetts has launched a multiyear strategy to integrate AI into K-12 education, starting with educator training, student data privacy, and AI literacy standards across the curriculum.

The missing AI skill that's hindering government innovation
State tech leaders warn that a lack of prompt engineering skills is limiting the effectiveness of GenAI in government, prompting new training initiatives to bridge the gap.

Pennsylvania used GenAI to reduce hiring time by 35%
Pennsylvania cut hiring time by 35% using GenAI to streamline job descriptions and classifications, as part of broader efforts to tackle public sector workforce shortages.

Nevada publishes guidance on AI use in schools
Nevada’s Department of Education released a comprehensive guide promoting responsible, transparent, and empowering use of AI in K-12 schools under its “STELLAR” framework.

State tech officials want more supporting AI roles, report shows
A new report finds state AI leaders are calling for key support roles—AI director, product manager, and policy manager—to strengthen deployments and overcome staffing, funding, and pilot program challenges.

AI-powered job board targets laid-off federal workers
Amid mass federal layoffs, GovJobs.fyi uses AI to help displaced government workers transition to roles in state, local, nonprofit, and private sectors by translating skills and streamlining job matching.

Alaska to launch AI-powered state services app
Alaska is set to debut an AI-powered mobile app streamlining access to over 50 digital government services, aiming to simplify public engagement and expand to 200+ services over time.

AI-powered cameras have issued nearly 10k tickets in L.A.
AI-assisted cameras on L.A. Metro buses issued nearly 10,000 parking citations in a month, vastly increasing enforcement to keep bus lanes clear and transit moving efficiently.

International

Google launches AI Works to close UK’s AI adoption gap and boost economic growth
Google’s AI Works pilot shows that targeted training can double AI usage, close adoption gaps, and unlock significant economic growth by empowering workers across the UK.

Future farming in India: A playbook for scaling AI in agriculture
A new playbook outlines a three-pillar strategy to scale AI in Indian agriculture, aiming to boost productivity and resilience by addressing systemic sector challenges through practical, inclusive solutions.

Kazakhstan and South Korea explore AI use in public sector
Kazakhstan and South Korea are deepening collaboration on AI in the public sector, highlighting ethical development, strategic digital infrastructure, and shared efforts to deliver citizen-facing benefits.

Canada’s AI edge: From research powerhouse to global competitor
Canada must shift from pioneering AI research to widespread adoption, avoiding overregulation to fully realize economic and societal benefits.

Everything Else

Anthropic economic index: AI’s impact on software development
Anthropic’s Economic Index reveals that AI coding agents like Claude Code are accelerating automation in software development, with startups leading adoption and user-interface tasks most affected.

Meta launches AI app
Meta has launched a personalized AI assistant app powered by Llama 4, integrating voice features, cross-platform continuity, and a Discover feed to enhance user interaction across Meta products.

Duolingo will replace contract workers with AI
Duolingo is shifting to an “AI-first” strategy, phasing out contractors for tasks AI can handle while refocusing employees on creative work and scaling educational content faster.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang warns China is ‘not behind’ in AI
Jensen cautioned that China, led by companies like Huawei, remains close behind the U.S. in AI development and urged U.S. policymakers to prioritize innovation over restriction.

BBC harnesses AI to create writing classes given by Agatha Christie
The BBC has launched AI-powered writing lessons “taught” by Agatha Christie, using restored audio, licensed imagery, and her own words to deliver storytelling advice via BBC Maestro.

White-collar workers are scared AI is coming for their jobs
A new survey reveals growing workplace anxiety over AI, prompting white-collar workers to consider trade careers for security while blue-collar workers eye AI-fueled office roles for upward mobility.

10 insights on the state of AI security from RSA
At RSA Conference 2025, experts emphasized AI’s double-edged role in cybersecurity—offering both advanced defenses and potent tools for attackers—while urging collaboration, oversight, and responsible deployment.

Apple and Anthropic team up on AI coding tool
Apple is internally testing a Claude-powered coding assistant in Xcode to help developers write, edit, and debug code, signaling a strategic push to revitalize its AI capabilities.

In Meta's AI future, your friends are bots
Meta is pushing AI chatbots as social companions to combat loneliness and deepen user engagement, raising concerns about privacy, data use, and psychological impacts—especially for teens.

Is AI closing the door on entry-level job opportunities?
AI is disrupting traditional career paths by threatening entry-level jobs, shifting salary expectations, and intensifying global competition—while also offering new avenues for upskilling and inclusion.

How IT leaders use agentic AI for business workflows
Enterprise leaders are embracing agentic AI to streamline complex workflows, boost productivity across departments, and shift human roles toward strategic, high-value tasks—while navigating integration and governance challenges.

We now know how AI ‘thinks’—and it’s barely thinking at all
New research reveals that AI models solve problems using vast collections of heuristics rather than true reasoning, raising doubts about their path to human-like intelligence.