Without a doubt, 2023 has shaped up to be generative AI’s breakout year. Less than 12 months after the introduction of generative AI large language models such as ChatGPT and PaLM, image generators like Dall-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, and code generation tools like OpenAI Codex and GitHub CoPilot, organizations across every industry, including government, are beginning to leverage generative AI regularly to increase creativity and productivity.

The US government software modernization policy encourages federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD), to leverage investments already made in application development and authorizations to operate (ATOs). The goal of repurposing existing, working applications is to enable agencies to reduce development time and costs by leveraging software that has been purchased and implemented by another team.

Digital government and digital services are the top priorities for state governments, according to the recently published National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Top 10 Policy and Technology Priorities for 2024. Tied for first place is cybersecurity and risk management, followed by legacy application modernization.

It’s a milestone moment for Snowflake to have achieved FedRAMP High authorization on the AWS GovCloud (US-West and US-East Regions) . This authorization, from the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), is one of the most rigorous security endorsements a cloud service provider (CSP) can achieve.

Too many legacy systems. It’s something we hear from government agencies all the time. And you’ve heard this complaint too, no doubt. But the risk-averse nature of government organizations combined with a fear of disruption makes them reluctant to take on a wholesale modernization effort. What if they don’t have to, though? What if there’s a better way?

In recent years, governments across the globe have recognized the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and have embarked on initiatives to harness this technology to drive innovation and serve their citizens more effectively. These government-led efforts have had a profound impact on the development and adoption of AI solutions in the public sector, paving the way for a future where data-driven decision-making and automation are the norm.

Artificial intelligence holds the potential to enhance efficiency, streamline processes, and improve decision-making across various government sectors. But without robust safeguards, there is a heightened risk of biased decision-making, privacy breaches, and misuse of sensitive data. The Biden administration’s AI executive order establishes new standards for AI safety and security as well as for responsible use of AI at federal agencies and in state and local governments.

AI is the next revolutionary technology that will accelerate the mission of the Department of Defense. Newly boundless in its applications, “AI” joins “cyber” and “cloud” as the most important information technologies that have arrived in the last 25 years.