Government AI Hire, Use, Buy (HUB) Roundtable Series – Roundtable 2: Government as an Employer of AI Talent

Table of Contents Introduction...............................................................................................................................................2Overview of Discussion.........................................................................................................................4Key Challenges Identified....................................................................................................................5Attraction..............................................................................................................................................5Identifying Talent Needs..............................................................................................................5Scoping Projects for AI Talent...................................................................................................5Hiring Process for AI Talent........................................................................................................6Retention...............................................................................................................................................6Opportunities for Advancement................................................................................................7Challenging and Fulfilling Work...............................................................................................7Maintaining Motivation in the Bureaucracy............................................................................7Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................9Authors andAcknowledgments.....................................................................................................10Endnotes.................................................................................................................................................10 Introduction Artificial intelligence has rapidly proliferated throughout the U.S. and global economy,including in government services and functions. As a result, manypeopleare looking tothe U.S. government as a standard-bearer for how to responsibly adopt and use AI. Inlate 2023, PresidentJoeBiden signed the groundbreakingExecutive Order on the Safe,Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which laid outa roadmap for how the U.S. government would set this example.1This EO iscomplemented by other efforts, such as the Office of Management and Budget’spolicy,Advancing Governance, Innovation, and Risk Management for Agency Use of ArtificialIntelligence.2 However, the challenges that the government faces in acquiring and deploying AIsystems—or hiring the talent to build them—are far from solved. It is with this in mindthat Georgetown University’sCenter for SecurityandEmerging Technology(CSET)andBeeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation(Beeck Center),together with theGeorgetown Law Institute for Technology Law and Policy(Tech Institute),leda seriesof invite-only roundtablesover the course of 2024to discuss the government’s role inthe use of AI.This resulting report was authored in 2024 after those discussions. TheGovernment AI Hire, Use, Buy (HUB) Roundtable Seriesis bringing togetherleading voices to grapple with the questions that AI poses. The series examines threekey roles the government is poised to play: 1.As a user of AI.2.As an employer of AI talent.3.As a buyer of AI. The series seeks to illuminate important hurdles and possible solutions in each oftheseareas as AI stands to potentially transform government services and operations.The series is generously funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. On August 22, 2024, CSET hosted the second roundtable in the series. This eventfocused on the government’s role as an employer of AI talent and followed the firstroundtable, hosted by the Tech Institute, examining the government as a user of AI. This report summarizes and reflects on the key findings, takeaways, andrecommendations from the second roundtable, which was conducted undertheChatham HouseRule. All names, affiliations, and other identifying information havebeen omitted from this report.Recommendations mentioned in this reportreflectthose made byparticipantsduring the roundtableanddo not necessarily reflectformalrecommendations issued by CSET, the Tech Institute,or Beeck Center. Overview of Discussion The roundtable included two sessions, each withitsown focused theme:first,thegovernment’s ability toattractAI talent and, second,the government’s ability toretainthat talent once it is inside the door. The first session examined questions such as: •What barriers exist to attracting and hiring AI talent in government?•Are training, education,andcertification programs appropriately training AItalent for government roles? Are there appropriate on-ramps for this talent toenter government?•What advantages does the go