OPM launches AI chatbot to answer questions about workforce trends

Michele Sandiford (0:00)

This is a Federal News Network podcast.

Coming up today on the Federal Newscast, OPM launches an AI chatbot to answer questions about workforce trends. The Space Force brings in its first 250 new members from the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. And the White House faces another impoundment Control Act violation.

These stories and more on today's Federal Newscast.

Welcome to the Federal Newscast. I'm Michele Sandiford. There's a new way to look at data about the Federal workforce. The Office of Personnel Management has launched an AI chatbot to answer the public's questions about workforce trends. The new feature has been added to OPM's Federal workforce data website, which details employment numbers and other information about the civil service. Users can enter questions and get AI-generated answers about government hires and separations, as well as workforce demographics like age, veteran status, and education level. The Space Force has finished bringing in new members from the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Those 250 former airmen will serve as its first part-time guardians. They're part of an experiment to see if the Space Force can be more flexible than the other services. Officials hope making it easier to switch between full-time and part-time work will keep troops in uniform longer. Part-timers must serve for at least 36 days each year. Guardsmen and reservists can continue joining the Space Force on active duty. The White House's decision not to spend appropriated funds at HHS has violated the Impoundment Control Act. The Government Accountability Office determined by not spending grant funding as Congress intended in fiscal 2025, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in HHS ran afoul of the 1974 law. GAO also determined that the Education Department's decision not to spend grant funding under the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program did not violate the impoundment law. GAO now has found the Trump administration has violated the Impoundment Control Act 13 times since January of 2025

US. Citizenship and Immigration Services is inching closer to a financial management modernization milestone. Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday has the details.

Justin Doubleday (2:34)

US. CIS plans to go live with its new SAP Financial Management System by next October. In a contracting document released this week, the agency said it's entering the most critical phase of its financial management modernization effort. Over the next year, US. CIS and its contractor will focus on migration activities in preparation to go live with a minimum viable product. The agency's program is part of a broader, long-running effort to modernize financial management systems across the Department of Homeland Security. Justin Doubleday, Federal News Network.

Michele Sandiford (3:10)

The Air Force is considering giving commercial companies access to its test ranges. The head of the Air Force Test Center says he's learning from the Army, which announced it would open some ranges over the summer. The change would help companies without their own test facilities develop new products for the military. The Air Force can also learn from Eglin Air Force Base, its major test hub in Florida. Airmen there have already tried working with contractors in new ways that could be used across the service.

A House Democrat wants to make it easier for Feds to request telework. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman has more.

Drew Friedman (3:46)

The Federal Telework Protection Act would call on supervisors to consider factors like job duties, medical conditions, and disabilities when approving or denying employees' requests to telework. If a supervisor doesn't issue a decision within 90 days, the legislation would automatically grant an employee's telework request until a final decision is issued. The new House bill comes as most Feds are working fully in the office, and some have accused agencies of slow rolling or denying their telework requests. Drew Friedman, Federal News Network.

Michele Sandiford (4:18)

An industry coalition is calling on the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to take action to secure the government's operational systems. In a report released this week, the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Coalition argues CISA should release a binding operational directive on OT systems. While CISA has included some OT requirements in earlier directives, the coalition says there should be a mandate that sets minimum security standards for those systems across government. The report argues artificial intelligence is lowering the barrier for sophisticated cyber attacks while agencies are lagging behind in inventorying and securing OT systems.

You can find these stories and more on our website federalnewsnetwork.com. And you can subscribe to the Federal Newscast along with the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michele Sandiford.