Elon Musk is aggressively implementing AI technology in US federal agencies, aiming to reduce costs and increase efficiency. The AI tool GSAi, developed exclusively by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been deployed to 1,500 employees at the General Services Administration (GSA).
GSAi: An AI Assistant for Federal Employees
GSAi operates as an AI-powered chatbot, similar to other AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Meta AI. This tool is designed to assist GSA employees with daily administrative tasks, including drafting emails, summarizing texts, writing code, and even analyzing data and automating future procurement reviews.
An internal GSA memo highlights GSAi’s features while warning about the security of sensitive federal information. Employees are instructed not to share private information such as images, audio, video, or the content of conversations with GSAi.
GSAi’s Effectiveness and Concerns
However, a Wired source reports that GSAi has not yet achieved the expected level of effectiveness. Its capabilities are described as akin to a trainee, with generic and predictable responses. GSAi is a recent development, but Elon Musk and the DOGE leadership are still pushing for rapid implementation to further reduce federal staff.
Staff Cuts and Potential Impacts
These actions come as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is undertaking significant staff reductions across federal agencies to save money. Recently, Thomas Shedd, a former Tesla engineer and now head of Technology Transformation Services (TTS) at GSA, announced a 50% reduction in the GSA technology department workforce in the coming weeks. Previously, 90 employees were laid off in the same department.
Expert Reactions and Concerns
The deployment of AI to replace human workers at GSA has faced opposition from some experts, who raise concerns about the true intentions behind the AI implementation. An anonymous AI expert questions whether the AI use is a precursor to further employee layoffs.
AI Adoption Trends in Other Government Agencies
Beyond GSA, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Human Services are also considering AI for their tasks, but whether they will use the GSAi tool is uncertain. The US military is also experimenting with the generative AI tool CamoGPT, but its specific functions are not yet revealed.
Conclusion:
Elon Musk’s aggressive deployment of AI in US government agencies is generating considerable controversy. While the tool promises to increase efficiency and reduce costs, many experts and employees fear that AI is being used as a tool for significant staff reductions. The development and deployment of this technology must carefully consider the long-term social and economic impacts.
References:
- Wired (as cited in original article)
- https://dantri.com.vn/cong-nghe/elon-musk-su-dung-ai-de-thay-the-nhan-vien-chinh-phu-bi-sa-thai-20250312121649516.htm
