In a recent meeting, Thomas Shedd, the newly appointed director of the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) and an ally of Elon Musk, emphasized to General Services Administration (GSA) employees that the agency’s future would be “AI-first.” Shedd’s vision is to transform GSA into a dynamic entity akin to a “startup software company,” focusing on automating internal processes and consolidating data from various government sectors.
This briefing comes shortly after reports indicating that several of Musk’s associates have taken on influential roles within the GSA and the Office of Personnel Management. Shedd, a former software engineer at Tesla, is at the center of these changes, leading to uncertainty among GSA staff, particularly regarding the technical direction and future operations of their teams.
During the meeting conducted via Google Meet, Shedd laid out a framework for projects aimed at integrating increased AI functionalities across government agencies. He outlined an "AI-first strategy" that includes developing AI coding agents accessible to all government bodies, believing that many repetitive tasks, especially in finance, could be automated.
Concerns were raised by cybersecurity experts who cautioned that automating government processes poses unique challenges distinct from those in the private sector, suggesting that inexperienced personnel might underestimate the complexities involved in such projects.
Shedd also described TTS as an ailing startup, insisting on the necessity for a centralized data repository and pushing forward despite potential roadblocks, including legal compliance issues. He mentioned the collaboration between TTS and the United States Digital Services as crucial to this initiative, although he clarified that there were no plans for an official merger between the two entities.
Questions from staff regarding the experience level of new engineers, layoffs, and the possibility of extending work hours were met with ambiguous answers from Shedd, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding the agency’s future. Moreover, he acknowledged the likelihood of personnel reductions but did not divulge specifics, leaving many employees apprehensive about their job security in the changing landscape of the agency.
