Trends

Agencies are at different levels of maturity when it comes to AI. In terms of AI-specific workforce planning activities, many are in the early stages. Most agencies are working to identify the AI and AI-enabling talent already on board while exploring opportunities to upskill the existing workforce. Sixteen of the 24 agencies either have workforce planning strategies in place to meet AI needs or are in progress of developing them. Having these strategies in place to retain and upskill potential AI talent is a step agencies can take to be well-equipped to meet AI requirements.

Within many agencies, internal communities of practice and working groups have been formed; some formally and others ad hoc. These groups are serving as collaboration hubs, and they are commonly being used to support training initiatives and information sharing. Some agencies are using their formal working group and governance bodies to identify and prioritize skill and position needs.

Recruitment and hiring efforts for most are centered around the AI Executive Order (EO) requirement to establish the Chief AI Officer position, along with other core advisory and technical roles (e.g., governance, risk management, infrastructure). In each of the agency meetings, OPM shared available AI-related resources including Pay Flexibility, Incentive Pay, and Leave and Workforce Flexibility Programs for AI, AI-enabling and Other Key Technical Employees; the AI Classification Policy and Talent Acquisition Guidance; and Guidance and Policy on Skills-based, Federal Government-wide Hiring of AI, Data, and Technology Talent. A number of agencies indicated they were leveraging Direct Hire Authorities, Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPAs), and fellowships (e.g., Presidential Management Fellows and U.S. Digital Corps) to address AI hiring needs.

Some agencies described progress with hiring and gap analysis and use of AI skills assessments, including the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Department of Defense (DoD). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described establishing an internal AI Corps that would serve as a centralized talent pool to be deployed based on need. Multiple agencies referenced a desire to weave AI skills into the broader workforce, and that they were incorporating AI language into position descriptions and job postings.

There is agreement across agencies that implementing AI will impact how work roles are designed and that keeping a people-first mindset will be critical as agencies integrate AI into the workforce. The need for training to enhance AI capacity was consistently referenced, specifically foundational and leadership training. Many agencies highlighted their ability to build upon data literacy efforts, to include AI, through related course tracks. NASA, for example, described Digital Academy content for data literacy, sandbox trainings, AI, and digital engineering topics available on its training platform. NASA also described its “Summer of AI” activities, designed to spread awareness and connect the workforce to AI-related resources and experts.

Across the board, agencies highlighted the importance of partnering throughout their components to reduce duplication of effort and to share resources. Additionally, many agencies included representatives from their data, CIO, DEIA, and learning teams in the HCR discussion on AI.

AI Use Cases

In terms of HR use cases, most agencies are in the brainstorming stage, although many shared that AI had been used in other parts of their agencies for some time. Ideas on the use of AI in HR include training curation and search features, onboarding, processing functions (e.g., awards, personnel actions), classification, and HR assistant capabilities.   Agency use cases include:

NASA – developed NASA’s OCHCO Virtual Assistant (NOVA), a software program designed to simulate human-like conversations in response to user requests and queries

State – developed the Civil Service Career Pathing tool, a career development resource for Civil Service employees to learn about career mobility options and development opportunities based on self-identified skills and interests

DOI – working on machine learning prototypes for competency matching with the “My DOI Career” tool

SBA – introduced an AI-simulated coach through the agency Learning Management System that provides a safe space to practice important business conversations (e.g., providing performance feedback)

NRC – exploring knowledge management and search capabilities

DoD – exploring a tool that allows the extraction of skills, experiences, and characteristics from resumes and applicant information

DOL – has a number of use cases for form recognition, including benefits and claims

Challenges

The challenges at the forefront of agencies’ minds are:

• budget
• data and IT infrastructure
• risk management

To best leverage available tools, agencies want to establish a foundational understanding amongst the workforce before implementing AI broadly. This is both to develop AI awareness and to mitigate fears and uncertainty around the impact of emerging technologies. Agencies including NASA, State, and SBA referenced multi-pronged approaches to providing AI resources to the workforce, including training offerings, communities of interest, working groups, office hours, brown bags, and communication campaigns.

Recruitment and retention surfaced as concerns, specifically how to be competitive with the private sector and how to keep highly sought after talent long term. Some approaches to assist recruitment and retention are leveraging pay and leave flexibilities, bringing on early career talent, improved storytelling around mission and public service, and taking advantage of resources such as shared certificates and hiring events. DoD and NSF referenced their use of partnerships to supplement their technical workforce, DoD through an industry consortium that helps them meet talent needs, and NSF through its Visiting Scientist, Engineer, and Educator (VSEE) authority.

People First
Agencies that establish a foundational understanding of AI develop awareness and mitigate fears and uncertainty of the impact of the emerging technologies on the workforce and roles.

Solutions

In support of agency efforts to hire the right people with the right skills to leverage AI, OPM will continue to build on its work to support federal agencies to bring on AI talent. In the first quarter of FY25, OPM hosted its first ever Federal Human Capital AI Summit. In consideration of CHCO feedback and input from key stakeholders across OPM, the one-day event, held in person at OPM’s Theodore Roosevelt Building, brought together over 200 attendees representing over 40 agencies and components. Human capital and transformation leaders, data experts, IT professionals, privacy officers, and learning officers from across Government heard from both federal and private industry leaders grappling with how to leverage AI in the human capital space while mitigating risks. OPM’s goal is to continue building and cultivating a federal AI community positioned to drive innovation in the human capital space by providing:​

• Opportunities to share thought leadership in the use of AI in federal human capital.​
• Rich discussions around AI foundational knowledge, guidance, strategy, tools, commonality, and support available for federal agencies to advance human capital goals and priorities.​
• Space for federal agency HR leaders and staff to connect with one another on AI topics and activities.​

In support of Executive Order 14110 on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence and Public Law 116-260, the AI in Government Act of 2020 (the Act), OPM issued skills-based hiring guidance and a competency model for AI, data, and technology talent on April 29, 2024. The guidance assists agencies in identifying key skills and competencies needed for AI professionals and increases access to these technical roles for individuals with nontraditional academic backgrounds. Additionally, OPM plans to publish an AI and Tech Talent playbook. This playbook consolidates Federal resources from OPM, the Office of Management and Budget, and others to allow agencies to recruit and effectively utilize AI and tech talent. OPM has also hosted Tech to Gov Virtual Hiring Forms, including an AI focused event, to help attract prospective federal employees, attracting over 10,000 prospective federal employees. Lastly, OPM developed and delivered an AI Fundamentals learning series to nearly 18,000 employees, supervisors, and senior executives across more than 100 agencies, providing a foundational understanding of AI and preparing them to engage in informed discussions and effectively implement approved AI tools.