Author Archive
Alexandra Kelley
Staff Correspondent, Nextgov/FCW
Alexandra Kelley reports on emerging technology for Nextgov/FCW. Her most recent post was covering breaking news for The Hill where she focused on a variety of quantitative subjects, including Big Tech and the economy, in addition to covering the coronavirus pandemic since late 2019. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2017. If you have a tip you'd like to share, Alexandra can be securely contacted at alexak17.64 on Signal.
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Companies
Trump admin floats policy language limiting contractor say on agency uses of technology
Ongoing drafts of policy documents feature language that would limit the private sector’s ability to dictate how their artificial intelligence models are used in government missions, according to sources familiar with their development.
- By Alexandra Kelley and David DiMolfetta
Contracts
Pentagon makes agreements with 8 companies to add AI to classified networks
Advanced capabilities from NVIDIA, OpenAI, SpaceX, Reflection, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Oracle and Google will be made available at the Pentagon's Impact Levels 6 and 7.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
OpenAI announces availability across cloud providers
The artificial intelligence developer updated its terms and conditions with Microsoft, announcing that its suite of agentic capabilities would now be available via other cloud providers.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
World needs to ‘get ready’ for more powerful AI, Anthropic co-founder says
The company’s powerful Mythos, unveiled earlier this month, won’t be the only supercharged AI system to hit the market, Jack Clark said.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
Tech bills of the week: Boosting export controls; AI-focused workforce development; and more
During Congress’s final week in recess, new legislation and amendments that were proposed run the tech policy gamut.
- By Alexandra Kelley and Edward Graham
Contracts
Trump’s FY27 budget proposes boosts and cuts to tech operations
Agencies like CISA, NIST and the IRS would see notable reductions in their budgets for next year, while programs at Energy and the VA would get additional financial support.
- By Alexandra Kelley, Edward Graham and David DiMolfetta
Companies
Vendors struggle to navigate the Anthropic ban’s fallout
Tech contractors say ambiguity in how Anthropic’s products are able to be used by companies working with the federal government is leaving “traps” they may unknowingly fall into.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Contracts
VA’s former EHR lead indicted for concealing contractor gifts
The Department of Justice alleges that John Windom accepted and sometimes demanded various gifts while helming the electronic health record modernization at Veterans Affairs.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
Trump names CEOs, nuclear fusion founders and Nobel laureate to tech advisory council
The announcement includes 13 of the possible 24 members that will make up the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Contracts
White House releases regulatory vision for AI
The framework includes seven AI policy recommendations for Congress that attempt to balance consumer protections with advancing AI development.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Contracts
GSA, NIST partner to craft evaluation standards for AI tools in federal operations
Through the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, both agencies will help streamline the process to develop standards for artificial intelligence tools being used in government workflows.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
Siemens joins Genesis Mission
The infrastructure technology company is the latest to jump on the Genesis Mission.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
Anthropic sues over a dozen federal agencies and government leaders
The company asserts that the administration’s actions to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk and order its removal from all federal agencies are retaliatory and not based on risk to national security.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Podcasts
WT 360: Nextgov/FCW’s Alexandra Kelley on the government’s breakup with Anthropic
Alexandra Kelley, our Nextgov/FCW colleague who covers emerging tech, jumps in to explain how agencies are phasing out Anthropic’s artificial intelligence tools amid the company’s disagreement with the Pentagon on usage of them.
- By Alexandra Kelley and Ross Wilkers
Contracts
Private sector, former military leaders urge Congress intervene in Pentagon-Anthropic dispute
Over 30 former military officers and individuals working in tech sent a letter to congressional leadership expressing concern over the Pentagon-Anthropic dispute and asking for lawmakers to take action to reign in executive power and set AI guardrails.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
House amendment responding to Pentagon-Anthropic conflict fails committee vote
Lawmakers split over an amendment to the Defense Production Act from Rep. Sam Liccardo, D-Calif., that would have prohibited the government from blacklisting firms opposed to their tech being used in certain situations.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Contracts
Energy announces $352M in funding for frontier science
The agency will make funding available to research teams looking to solve the scientific challenges underpinning next-generation energy technologies.
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
Agencies begin to shed Anthropic contracts following Trump’s directive
Officials from the departments of Treasury, State and Health and Human Services confirmed they would be acting to comply with the White House mandate.
- By Frank Konkel and Alexandra Kelley
Contracts
Lawmakers from both parties back data center permitting reform
Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., estimates the U.S. will need “about 85 gigawatts [more] a year in order to keep pace with our demand.”
- By Alexandra Kelley
Companies
Trump unveils Big Tech pledge to offset rising data center energy costs
President Donald Trump’s national address touched on the rising energy costs incurred by increasing AI use, in addition to reinforcing his administration’s imperative to tackle fraud in government programs.
- By Alexandra Kelley and Natalie Alms