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Washington D.C. – Despite publicly championing American dominance in artificial intelligence, Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly ousted numerous AI experts initially recruited by the Biden administration. This move is raising concerns about wasted resources and the government’s ability to keep pace in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
During his final 18 months, President Biden launched the “National AI Talent Surge”, successfully drawing over 200 tech professionals away from the private sector into government roles. These experts were strategically placed throughout federal agencies, applying AI to streamline services such as Social Security, tax filing, and veterans’ healthcare. However, sources indicate that the Trump administration swiftly terminated many of these positions.
Former officials speaking to TIME expressed dismay, highlighting the contradiction of agencies seeking AI talent while simultaneously dismissing those already in place. This could force agencies to rely on more expensive external consultants.
The Department of Government Efficiency, under Elon Musk, reportedly spearheaded a mass firing of recent tech hires, contributing significantly to the talent drain. Further cuts occurred when Musk’s team absorbed the U.S. Digital Service and eliminated the 18F technology office within the General Services Administration, which was instrumental in launching services like the IRS’ Direct File program.
Julie Siegel, formerly of Biden’s Office of Management and Budget, emphasized the difficulty of recruiting AI specialists, given the high demand across all sectors. “Everybody is trying to hire AI specialists, so AI was really hard, but we did this big push,” she stated.
While Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, led by Russell Vought, released a memo outlining plans to accelerate AI adoption across government, Deirdre Mulligan, former director of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office, questions the feasibility. “The Trump Administration’s actions have not only denuded the government of talent now, but I’m sure that for many folks, they will think twice about whether or not they want to work in government,” Mulligan said.
Angelica Quirarte, a recruiter hired by the Biden administration, successfully brought approximately 250 AI experts into federal service within a year. She estimates that only 10% remain after Trump’s actions. Quirarte, who resigned after 23 days in the new administration, described an environment lacking “good intent” and driven by “fear,” making effective policymaking impossible.
The long-term impact of these personnel changes on the nation’s AI capabilities remains to be seen, but the immediate consequences include a loss of experienced professionals and potential setbacks in government modernization efforts.