I. Executive Summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most consequential technologies of our time. President Biden and Vice President Harris have been clear that the Federal Government must mitigate the risks of AI so that the nation can harness its benefits.
In October 2023, President Biden signed Executive Order 14110, which directed Federal agencies to take broad and cohesive action to promote the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of AI. EO 14110 directs actions to strengthen AI safety and security, protect Americans’ privacy, advance equity and civil rights, stand up for consumers and workers, promote innovation and competition, and advance American leadership in AI around the world. Building upon the Executive Order, in March 2024, Vice President Harris announced that the Federal Government will lead by example in its own development and use of AI with the release of policy to promote AI innovation at agencies while protecting the public’s rights and safety.
To execute on these priorities, EO 14110 launched a National AI Talent Surge to recruit and retain AI professionals into the Federal Government. The National AI Talent Surge is building a strong and diverse Federal AI workforce to execute on the following priorities:
1. Leveraging AI in Government. The U.S. Government is already using AI to benefit the public across its vast mission areas to include tackling global challenges such as climate change and cancer, and improving the quality and efficiency of government services. The AI Talent Surge is recruiting individuals to assess, pilot, and launch use cases for Federal agencies to responsibly leverage AI to improve government services and programs.
2. Building AI Regulatory and Policy Capacity. The U.S. Government needs technical expertise to create and enforce effective policies and regulations to ensure AI is effective, equitable, and rights-respecting. The AI Talent Surge is hiring individuals to ensure that the government develops and enforces policies around AI to protect rights, safety, and privacy, and investing in individuals with expertise in the field of trust and safety.
3. Strengthening the AI R&D Ecosystem. The United States leads the world in AI innovation and R&D, and we are committed to maintaining that global leadership. The AI Talent Surge is hiring individuals to build and invest in infrastructure and oversee Federal R&D to enable the next generation of cutting-edge AI systems in the United States.
To accomplish these goals, the Federal Government needs a range of talent. The National AI Talent Surge is recruiting for AI and AI-enabling roles, which include:
• Data scientists, statisticians, and computer scientists to build and test AI models;
• Operations researchers, sociologists, and economists to quantify and analyze how AI models will impact society;
• Product managers to develop ideas for and create success metrics for new AI models;
• Software engineers to build systems to train, test, and deploy AI models;
• Legal, privacy, and civil rights professionals to protect the public’s rights and safety when AI is used, including attention to algorithmic bias as well as the misuse of AI systems for harmful outputs;
• AI-focused program managers to direct rollouts and change management for new AI products; and
• Technical recruiters to help agencies build, develop, and retain strong and diverse AI workforces.
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force has prioritized recruiting and attracting new technologists to public service to address the urgent need for additional talent, and that work must continue until we have the required capacity to responsibly harness and utilize the benefits of AI. Maintaining a strong technical workforce requires ongoing development and engagement. The Task Force has begun strengthening the constructs and policies to support the thriving AI and tech workforce necessary to meet the emerging challenges of a technology-driven society.
Consistent with the Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce4 and the Executive Order on the Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council5, the AI and Tech Talent Task Force has also prioritized recruiting from a diverse pool of qualified candidates, recognizing the need for technical experts who can work to mitigate bias in AI systems and the overall underrepresentation of women, people of color, first-generation professionals and immigrants, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals in the STEM field as a whole.II. Progress on Hiring Through the AI Talent Surge
In October 2023, President Biden called upon the public to serve, and they responded. The AI and Tech Talent Task Force launched a single front door, ai.gov/apply, for AI professionals to explore Federal jobs in AI. Administration officials proactively reached out to the public to motivate AI professionals to join public service, highlighting the high impact6 of working on AI in the government.
The response from the public has been fantastic. In the month after EO 14110 was issued, tech talent programs hiring as part of the AI Talent Surge saw an average 288% increase in AI applications compared to previous periods; some tech talent programs saw up to 600% - 2000% increases in AI applications. Moreover, public interest in Federal AI roles remains high. From January through March 2024, applications for AI and AI-enabling roles have doubled as compared to similar periods in 2022 and 2023. The message is clear: the public is ready and motivated to join the Federal Government to work on AI priorities.
The AI Talent Surge has seen a strong start to hiring already—agencies have already hired over 150 people into AI and AI-enabling roles since the Executive Order was signed, and tech talent programs are on track to bring in 94 by the summer.Hiring Through Tech Talent Programs
As part of the AI Talent Surge, government-wide tech talent programs, including the Presidential Innovation Fellows, the U.S. Digital Corps, and the U.S. Digital Service ramped up hiring for AI talent. Presidential Innovation Fellows and U.S. Digital Corps (General Services Administration) The Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) and the U.S. Digital Corps (USDC), both housed within GSA’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS), source and hire AI and tech talent for placement in other government agencies. PIF hires senior-level technology leaders to embed within Federal agencies as year-long senior advisors. USDC hires early-career data scientists, AI professionals, and technologists for a two-year fellowship which concludes in a permanent Federal job. These fellowship programs provide agencies with high quality senior and early career technologists quickly, thereby helping agencies make rapid progress in their workforce needs and accelerating technical innovation.
Combined, PIF and USDC received over 2,500 applications for AI and AI-enabling roles in the two weeks after EO 14110 was issued, indicating significant interest in these roles from the public and a large talent pool eager to bring their skills to government through specialized fellowship programs.
Due to the strength of their applicant pools and the high volume of critical AI projects across the U.S. Government, PIF and USDC are on track to hire 114 technologists (34 PIF, 80 USDC) into Federal service in 2024; these technologists include 35 AI-specific fellows and 51 AI-enabling fellows. With the addition of the 114 technologists in 2024, PIF and USDC will house a grand total of 214 (55 PIF, 159 USDC) active fellows, 122 of which will be AI and AI-enabling.U.S. Digital Service
The U.S. Digital Service (USDS) is housed at the Executive Office of the President and hires senior-level technologists to transform critical public-facing government services through technology and design. USDS currently employs over 200 expert-level technologists and support staff, who are helping agencies modernize and integrate capabilities essential to AI. As one of the preeminent leaders in government technology, USDS has consistently demonstrated a forward-thinking approach by leveraging new and
innovative ways to assist other Federal agencies serve the public, including harnessing the power of AI. USDS expertise spans across a diverse range of disciplines, thanks to a balanced blend of hires from both the public and private sectors. This unique combination of talent enables USDS to develop and implement cutting-edge AI enabling solutions that address the specific needs and challenges faced by various agencies.
For instance, USDS has played a pivotal role in enhancing the capabilities of agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by helping with AI hiring, the Social Security Administration (SSA) by integrating AI technologies into their operations, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). USDS has helped DHS safely explore ways to integrate and innovate with AI, with a specific focus on establishing three generative AI pilots throughout DHS’s components to help empower both internal and external users to make an impact.
By fostering collaboration and promoting the adoption of AI-driven innovations, USDS exemplifies how a small Federal organization can have a significant and transformative impact on government technology and service delivery. As part of the AI Talent Surge, USDS, which continuously utilizes modern talent practices to attract and recruit senior level technologists, drew 3,109 new applicants, including 507 with AI and AI-enabling expertise. USDS hired 23 new technologists and is on track to onboard 8 more AI and AI-enabling experts by May 1, 2024, highlighting the importance of top-tier talent that will collaborate across various agencies.Hiring Through Cross-Government Career Fairs
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force has also supported hiring events focused on AI and AI-enabling talent, including public Tech to Gov career fairs and tailored AI leadership recruiting events. Tech to Gov hiring events allow agencies across government to advertise hundreds of available AI and tech roles. At these events, agencies sort through hundreds of qualified applicants and schedule 1-1 screening calls to identify the top applicant pool for key roles. Applicants can apply directly to roles during the events, and some agencies qualify and make tentative offers on the spot.
This series of recruitment events has mobilized thousands of technologists to explore public sector careers at the Federal, state, and local levels. During the fall Tech to Gov event, 32 Federal agencies promoted approximately 100 roles to 4,500 prospective applicants, and they made over a hundred hires as a result of the event. The April 18th event, which was focused specifically on AI and AI-enabling talent, brought in over 800 technologists and resulted in over 1,700 1-1 screening calls, interviews, and connections. Tech to Gov events enable agencies to take advantage of collective recruitment and branding power to hire more effectively, efficiently, and from a higher quality technical talent pool.Hiring Across Agencies
Agencies have directly hired AI and AI-enabling talent outside of tech talent programs. Between October 30, 2023 and March 31, 2024, agencies hired more than 150 individuals in AI and AI-enabling roles. Since the issuance of EO 14110, over 15 agencies have onboarded at least one new AI or AI-enabling employee.
Through FY25, agencies plan to hire over 5007 additional AI or AI-enabling professionals. However, they report that over 350 more professionals are required to meet current needs. The Task Force will continue to work with agencies to help them meet their immediate hiring needs and enable strategic workforce planning.III. Facilitating Hiring for AI Talent Across Federal Agencies
In addition to accelerating AI hiring across agencies, the AI and Tech Talent Task Force has taken steps to facilitate AI hiring across the Federal Government.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) granted additional hiring authorities for AI talent.
Expedited hiring processes help agencies compete for AI and AI-enabling talent. To meet this need, OPM granted two types of hiring authorities for government-wide use:
1. Direct Hire Authority. In response to EO 14110, OPM authorized agencies to use a Direct Hire Authority (DHA), a hiring flexibility that alters selection procedures and speeds up hiring by eliminating typical hiring processes that rate and rank candidates. DHA was granted for AI positions in the following job series: Information Technology Specialist, Computer Scientist, Computer Engineer, Management and Program Analyst, Data Scientist, and Operations Researcher.
Agencies are using direct hire authorities. Since the issuance of EO 14110, approximately 30% of AI and AI-enabling job opportunity announcements utilized direct hire authorities. One of the most successful uses of this authority is the launch of the DHS AI Corps. This program is using direct hire authority to bring fifty AI technologists into DHS to make air travel easier and safer, harness the potential of AI to enhance border security, combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, defend against cyber threats, and more.
1. Excepted Service Appointments. OPM authorized government-wide use of excepted service appointments for hiring temporary staff for critical AI missions. This authority allows agencies to quickly fill positions to support implementation of EO 14110 for up to four years and to modify qualifications.OPM issued guidance for agencies’ utilization of pay and workforce flexibilities.
For technical roles, government cannot match private sector compensation, which diminishes agencies’ ability to compete for sought-after skillsets like those required to build and use AI safely and effectively. To improve recruitment and retention for high-demand AI, AI-enabling, and technical talent, OPM issued guidance for agencies on pay flexibility, incentive pay, and leave and workforce flexibility (such as remote work) programs.The AI and Tech Talent Task Force is empowering human resources and recruiting professionals.
Agencies need recruiters who can effectively communicate the mission of the agency and its exciting technical challenges to the public, proactively engage key communities of candidates, and cultivate a hiring pipeline for technical talent. In Summer 2024, USDS, OPM, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) are launching 4-month pilot training for hiring professionals to equip them with best practices and skills, informed by the broader economy, to recruit and hire highly sought out tech talent.
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force is also working to drive leading hiring practices for AI and tech talent across agencies. Through M-24-10 and the President’s Management Council, OMB requested that agencies designate AI talent leads to track and coordinate AI hiring at agencies. OPM established an interagency working group comprising AI talent leads, human resources professionals and tech recruiting experts, to disseminate AI policy guidance instituted as part of the AI Talent Surge and facilitate Federal Government-wide hiring of people with AI and other technical skills.
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force is also establishing common resources to facilitate hiring for AI and tech talent. The Chief Data Officer Council created a position description library for data and AI roles, and OPM will be creating an AI and Tech Hiring Playbook for agencies.IV. Strengthening the Federal AI Workforce
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force is taking action to bolster AI and technology leadership at agencies.
Achieving the Administration’s AI ambitions will require talent at all levels of government, including in leadership roles. In an era where technology is ubiquitous in the lives of Americans, strong AI and technology leaders are essential to chart a course to ensure that AI is safe and trustworthy for the nation, and to leverage technology to deliver public services to the American people. Through M-24-10, OMB established the role of Chief AI Officers, senior officials at agencies charged with envisioning how AI can be used responsibly to improve public services. To further ensure that all leadership in the government is equipped to drive change through AI and technology, OPM will review Executive Core Qualifications and the assessment process to incorporate data and AI literacy into competencies for the Senior Executive Service.The AI and Tech Talent Task Force is improving AI training to increase AI competencies across the existing Federal workforce.
Ensuring the Federal Government uses AI in a safe and trustworthy manner requires not only dedicated AI talent, but also a workforce that understands how to responsibly use AI to best achieve their goals. Per the AI Training Act and EO 14110, the Federal Government will work to ensure that all members of its workforce receive adequate training to understand the benefits, risks, and limitations of AI for their job functions, to modernize Federal Government information technology infrastructure, remove bureaucratic obstacles, and ensure that safe and rights-respecting AI is adopted, deployed, and used.
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force through OMB will continue to work with GSA, OPM, USDS, and agencies to make various trainings available to the Federal workforce across five areas: general training, leadership, procurement, technical, and hiring.To develop the next generation of AI talent, including in the Federal Government, the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Science Foundation (NSF) have established a pilot program to train 500 new researchers by 2025 to meet the rising demand for AI talent.
As part of this pilot program, DOE and NSF are offering training and educational opportunities to prepare a highly skilled, diverse talent pool for an AI-ready future workforce, including those within and outside the Federal Government. For example, the Data Science Summer Institute offers undergraduate and graduate student internships at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; in addition to receiving training in data science, students also contribute to AI projects in areas of national importance. Similarly, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s AI summer institute provides internships for students to learn the foundations of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, while collaborating with the laboratory’s scientists on their missions.V. Remaining Gaps in AI Capacity
In order for the talent the Federal Government brings on through the AI Talent Surge to be effective, the Federal Government requires sufficient available data, compute, and technical infrastructure. To further assess gaps in AI capacity, including in technical infrastructure, the AI and Tech Talent Task Force ran a pulse survey across a subset of the Federal workforce, reaching 161 respondents across 36 agencies. Employees’ responses reinforced the need for more AI talent in government—over 50% of employees believe that their organizations do not have the right positions to build, manage, or procure AI. Additionally, employees highlighted the need for additional AI infrastructure at their agencies. Over half of employees reported that they did not have access to, or were not aware of, generative AI tools for use at their agencies. Approximately 50% of employees reported that they did not have access to the datasets, software, or computational resources needed to build, test, or audit AI, and the same number reported that there was no clear process for requesting the necessary resources. The AI and Tech Talent Task Force will use this feedback to inform AI training needs and work with the Chief AI Officer Council to fill gaps in tooling and infrastructure.VI. Recommendations for Further Increasing AI Capacity
Recommendation 1: Fund AI and Tech Talent in the Federal Government
Congress must invest in increased AI and tech talent in order to achieve our goals to strengthen the AI research and development ecosystem, to build and use AI responsibly to improve public services, and to regulate AI to mitigate its risks for the public. Sustained funding at agencies is essential to grow and support AI and tech talent workforces at agencies. The President’s FY25 budget calls for $70M to promote responsible AI innovation at agencies and to establish Chief AI Officers. It also includes $20M to fund AI and tech talent at USDS8, $5M for the General Services Administration (GSA) for AI training for
components of the Federal workforce, and $8M for hiring AI and AI-enabling talent on digital service teams at eleven agencies.
Through the AI Talent Surge, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program and the U.S. Digital Corps program at GSA have met the call to action for AI and AI-enabling talent. Removing the statutory cap on the total amount of funding that GSA’s Federal Citizen Services Fund can receive and spend (including through appropriations, agency contributions, and other reimbursable activities) can enable these programs to further scale to meet increasing agency demand.Recommendation 2: Increase Tech Talent Sourcing and Hiring Capacity in the Federal Government
The AI and Tech Talent Task Force has taken action to improve recruiting and hiring capacity in the Federal Government, and Congress can build upon these actions to further increase recruiting and hiring.
A dedicated and forward-leaning technical recruiting team working across agencies can lead cross- government tech and AI hiring efforts and engagement with key candidates, as well as ensure that agencies are utilizing best practices for tech and AI hiring.9 This would build upon the effort led by OPM in Section 10.2(d)(vi) of EO 14110 to establish a government-wide tech recruiting working group. The President’s FY25 Budget calls for $5M at OPM for these efforts. Furthermore, building upon efforts by USDS to pilot training for tech recruiting at agencies, the Federal Government can expand training for recruiting and human resources professionals at agencies to teach best practices for technical recruiting.
Key tech talent programs also require additional resources to support the increased volume of hires they are making through the AI Talent Surge and to support these hires during their tenure in government. The President’s FY25 Budget calls for $2M for the Presidential Innovation Fellows and the U.S. Digital Corps to expand their capacity to hire and support AI and tech talent.
Additionally, managers in the Federal Government should prioritize hiring as a core responsibility for their teams. Delivering on the goals of the Federal Government requires not only execution on current tasks, but also looking ahead to build the future Federal workforce by hiring and developing strong and diverse employees. Managers should dedicate time for their teams to participate in hiring activities and to engage in mentoring and development opportunities to build the next generation of the Federal workforce, including by conducting outreach and recruiting in underrepresented communities. Furthermore, managers should create and sustain inclusive work environments for the AI workforce and proactively foster technical growth trajectories for their team members.Recommendation 3: Institutionalize the United States Digital Corps and other Tech Talent Programs
The U.S. Digital Corps program, launched by the Biden-Harris Administration and housed at the General Services Administration, is one of the few technology-focused talent programs that hires fellows into permanent competitive service at the conclusion of the fellowship. The program recruits critical early- career talent to implement key technology initiatives across government. Institutionalizing the U.S. Digital Corps program at GSA, as well as other tech talent programs within the government, would
ensure program sustainability to allow for continued hiring for AI and AI-enabling talent into government and build on progress under priorities one and two of the President’s Management Agenda.Recommendation 4: Improve the Candidate Experience on USAJOBS
Candidates often find the Federal hiring process difficult to navigate. To improve candidate experience, OPM should amplify recruitment of tech and AI talent by completing projects such as exploring automatic job tagging to branded search pages (e.g. ai.usajobs.gov, tech.usajobs.gov), promoting plain- language job descriptions, determining return on investment of the branded search pages, running targeted recruiting campaigns, implementing continuous applicant engagement strategies, and exploring additional use cases for grouping talent in the Agency Talent Portal.Recommendation 5: Grant Additional AI Recruitment, Pay, and Retention Authorities to Heads of Agencies
In parallel to cybersecurity recruitment, pay, and retention authorities, Congress can consider granting agencies authorities to use flexible hiring authorities for AI, such as excepted service, pay incentives, and support for rotational programs, to recruit and retain employees with critical and high-demand AI skills. This would improve Federal agencies’ competitiveness with the private sector for AI talent.
OPM has developed a legislative proposal that would enhance current compensation flexibilities that agencies can use to address recruitment and retention difficulties in the AI workforce. This includes proposals to increase the limits on special salary rates for cyber, information technology, and STEM jobs, critical position pay for positions requiring extremely high levels of expertise, and student loan repayments; provide OPM authority to delegate to agencies the authority to pay retention incentives above normal limits without OPM approval; and establish new authorities for critical skills incentives and on-call pay. This legislative proposal has been transmitted to Congress and would provide critical support for the AI workforce.Recommendation 6: Pilot Skills-Based Hiring Realignment
AI, data, tech, and cyber roles are particularly well-suited for skills-based hiring practices. The Federal Government has the opportunity to take the lead in moving national workplace hiring practices towards skills-based hiring that contributes to a more diverse, inclusive, innovative, and strong workforce. The President can consider directing OPM to design and carry out a pilot to realign all 3 pillars of the hiring process – classification, qualification, and assessment – to build a common language model for AI, data, tech, and cyber skills-based hiring best practices. This pilot would lay the groundwork for a possible governmentwide move to skills-based hiring.Recommendation 7: Create a Federal AI Scholarship-for-Service Program
To strengthen the pipeline of AI talent into Federal Government service, pending the availability of funds, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) should establish an AI scholarship-for-service program to recruit and train the next generation of AI professionals to work in the Federal Government. This program should build upon the findings of the report that NSF will issue to Congress in response to the CHIPS and Science Act, and utilize the authorities granted to NSF in the CHIPS and Science Act to establish such a program. The program should prioritize training a diverse population for future AI roles.Recommendation 8: Cultivate Public Service in the Technology Ecosystem
Technology professionals are critical to the business of government, but the institutional and cultural support found in professions such as law are less well-developed in the tech ecosystem. Different players in the ecosystem can take action to support and validate technical professionals who choose public service careers, including universities, which can provide scholarships and loan forgiveness programs for technical alumni who choose public service careers, create internship and externship opportunities at government agencies, highlight careers in government service, and encourage faculty to spend sabbaticals in government; professional organizations, which can highlight technical professionals serving in government and help mentor younger members of the technical community interested in public service careers; and technical professionals, companies, philanthropists, and foundations, who can support institutional structures such as loan forgiveness programs, scholarships, and fellowship programs that support careers in government service.
Intergovernmental Personnel Act appointments are an excellent, but underutilized, avenue for bringing technical experts from local and state government, nonprofits, and universities into Federal agencies. The President can consider calling on institutions across the tech ecosystem and agencies to consider expanding their use of and funding for these valuable talent exchange programs.Recommendation 9: Issue Guidance on Improving the Federal Hiring Experience
Improving the Federal hiring experience, both for AI and tech talent and the Federal workforce broadly, is essential to recruit, hire, and retain the workforce necessary to achieve the Administration’s agenda. OMB and OPM will explore issuing guidance for the Federal Government to improve the hiring experience of applicants throughout the hiring process, to attract and hire from a diverse applicant pool, to improve the experience of hiring managers and HR professionals, and to improve tracking and measurement of hiring actions.Recommendation 10: Explore AI Talent Engagement with Global Partners
Building upon the Administration’s work to promote U.S. global leadership on AI, the AI and Tech Talent Task Force should explore a talent exchange engagement with other countries that are also investing and recruiting for AI and AI enabling talent. This engagement could focus on specific use cases that align with the Sustainable Development Goals and that engage our core talent programs included but not limited to the Presidential Innovation Fellows, USDS, and U.S. Digital Corps.