It is reported that DOGE is developing an artificial intelligence chatbot to analyze government contracts.
The objective of the chatbot is to increase the productivity of government employees.
A custom artificial intelligence chatbot is being developed for U.S. government employees by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This effort appears to align with Elon Musk's plans to reduce the number of workers in the sector. Reports indicate that DOGE is creating a generative chatbot for the General Services Administration (GSA), an independent agency responsible for managing federal buildings, technology infrastructure, and professional supplies. This chatbot, named "GSAi," aims to enhance the productivity of federal employees.
DOGE plans to use GSAi to analyze contracts and draft documents for the GSA. In a recording obtained, Thomas Shedd, leader of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services, mentioned that this AI project is not new and had already started before his arrival. Shedd, a mechanical engineer who worked at Tesla, was appointed to the GSA shortly after the inauguration of former President Donald Trump. Since his arrival, Shedd has made it clear that he is interested in implementing artificial intelligence and automation across the federal government, including training AI systems to develop government software for various agencies.
Shedd noted that the difference with previous projects is the intention to build the system internally and quickly, seeking to better understand how government resources are spent. After taking office, Trump initiated significant cuts to federal spending, and the GSA is expected to reduce its budget by 50%. These cost-saving measures involve layoffs and the termination of federal office leases, totaling around 7,500.
Although DOGE considered the possibility of using existing AI tools, they decided to create GSAi after not finding models that provided the necessary information. However, AI tools have been used in other contexts, such as in an expense analysis at the Department of Education. Despite the intriguing possibilities offered by AI chatbots, their accuracy and reliability are often questioned, posing risks when relying on them for important projects. Nevertheless, the hope of Musk and Trump is that this technology will offset the reduction of federal employees.
DOGE has been working to drastically reduce the federal workforce, and last week it presented a "buyout" offer to about two million employees. In response, many government workers have decided to "hold firm," refusing to resign and be replaced by loyalists to Trump and Musk, should they indeed be replaced.