Report: Government’s AI adoption gap threatens US national security

The growing gap between private sector AI innovation and government adoption threatens US capacity to manage future AI-driven risks and challenges. As advanced artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable, the federal government’s inability to effectively utilize these technologies could undermine its ability to safeguard democratic institutions and respond to existential threats. This technological divergence creates urgent national security concerns that require both immediate adoption strategies and contingency planning.

The big picture: The US federal government significantly lags behind private industry in AI adoption, with private-sector job listings four times more likely to be AI-related and government AI use heavily concentrated in the Department of Defense.

• Government agencies face multiple adoption barriers including scarce technical talent, insufficient funding, outdated IT infrastructure, complex procurement processes, and stringent legal and security constraints.
• This widening technological gap creates vulnerability to disruption and threatens the government’s ability to respond effectively to AI-driven existential challenges.

Why this matters: A technologically outpaced government risks becoming unable to perform critical functions or effectively regulate increasingly powerful AI systems, potentially compromising democratic governance itself.

• The government might be forced into rushed, poorly implemented AI integration during a crisis, exacerbating rather than mitigating risks.
• Democratic legitimacy could erode if citizens perceive their government as technologically incompetent compared to private companies wielding advanced AI capabilities.

Key recommendations: The article outlines three categories of interventions to address the AI adoption gap in government agencies.

• “Win-win opportunities” include streamlining AI procurement policies, investing in technical capacity, modernizing digital infrastructure, and developing contingency plans.
• “Risk-reducing interventions” focus on making safety measures easier to implement, building capacity for testing advanced AI models, promoting AI security research, and developing crisis management plans.
• “Adoption-accelerating interventions” emphasize focusing on key agencies, strategic planning, and developing custom AI tools for government use.

Contingency planning: The analysis suggests preparing for two potential worst-case scenarios that could emerge from the government-private sector AI capability gap.

• A “state capacity collapse” scenario where government becomes unable to fulfill essential functions due to technological obsolescence.
• A “rushed, late-stage government AI adoption” scenario where hasty implementation creates significant safety and security risks.

Between the lines: While pushing for improved government AI capabilities, the article implicitly acknowledges that technology companies currently possess superior AI expertise and infrastructure.

• This suggests the need for novel public-private partnerships that leverage private sector capabilities while serving public interests.
• It also highlights the challenges of building governmental AI expertise when the private sector offers more attractive employment opportunities.