Organizations across sectors are racing to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their business workflows. While the private sector is making significant strides in AI adoption, the federal government faces unique challenges in implementing these advanced technologies. The landscape of AI in government is rapidly evolving, with agencies seeking innovative solutions to complex challenges. This blog post explores the current state of AI adoption in federal agencies, the obstacles they face and how Progress Federal Solutions is paving the way for seamless AI enablement in government operations.
The adoption of AI technologies in the federal government has been a journey marked by both promise and hurdles. While private sector companies sprint ahead, leveraging AI to gain competitive edges and boost productivity, federal agencies often find themselves navigating a more complex terrain. Recent Federal AI policy changes are reshaping how government agencies approach AI implementation and governance.
In March 2024, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued memorandum M-24-10, establishing a comprehensive framework for AI governance and risk management in federal agencies. This policy shift underscores the government’s commitment to responsible AI development, with a focus on safety, security and fairness. However, when it comes to implementing these policies, the unique nature of government operations introduces significant challenges.
Addressing the unique challenges of AI in government requires a tailored approach that considers security, scalability and interoperability. The federal government’s journey towards
AI adoption is hindered by several factors:
Recently, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth released an edict reinforcing the Software Acquisition Pathway, aiming to streamline software acquisitions and accelerate AI adoption. This directive marks a pivotal shift in the Department of Defense’s strategy, mandating the use of the Software Acquisition Pathway for all software development components and setting ambitious timelines for new capability deployments.
By addressing key barriers to AI adoption in the federal government, Progress Data Platform enables agencies to harness the full potential of AI technologies.
Most AI vendors approach government engagements with a one-size-fits-all mentality, attempting to extract and transform all required data into their preferred schema or format. While this approach might work for highly structured data, it falls short when dealing with the complex, unstructured data types (e.g., sensor data, emails, text documents) that often support critical government programs. Such methods typically require extensive upfront data engineering and often yield suboptimal results.
Progress Federal Solutions takes a fundamentally different approach to AI enablement in government. Our goal is not to be another AI company but to empower federal agencies to leverage AI capabilities within their existing data ecosystems. The Progress Data Platform—consisting of MarkLogic , Semaphore, FastTrack and Flux—offers a unique solution to the challenges faced by federal agencies in AI adoption.
Here’s how the Progress Data Platform components work together to enable AI in federal agencies:
The synergy of these components allows for a unique approach to AI enablement:
To illustrate the effectiveness of the Progress Data Platform, consider a hypothetical scenario involving a large federal agency tasked with improving its decision-making processes with AI.
The agency had vast amounts of data spread across multiple departments, stored in various formats ranging from structured databases to unstructured document repositories. Previous attempts to implement AI solutions had faltered due to the complexity of data integration and security concerns.
By implementing the Progress Data Platform, the agency was able to:
Leave data in its original locations and formats, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming data migration.
Create a unified metadata catalog using the Semaphore and MarkLogic platforms, enabling comprehensive cross-silo searches.
Maintain stringent security protocols while allowing for AI-powered analysis across previously isolated data sets.
Rapidly deploy AI capabilities using FastTrack, aligning with the new Software Acquisition Pathway guidelines.
The result was a significant acceleration in AI adoption, improved decision-making capabilities and enhanced data utilization across the agency—all while maintaining compliance with federal security standards.
Accelerating AI adoption in federal agencies requires solutions that can work with existing infrastructure while enabling advanced capabilities. The Progress Data Platform offers a revolutionary approach to AI enablement in government, addressing the unique challenges federal agencies face. By allowing data to remain in its original format, maintaining robust security controls, and enabling sophisticated AI capabilities, we provide a pathway for federal agencies to harness the power of AI without the traditional barriers to adoption.
As the federal government continues to prioritize AI adoption and innovation, solutions like the Progress Data Platform will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between policy ambitions and practical implementation. By overcoming the barriers to AI adoption in the federal government, we’re not just implementing technology—we’re enabling a new era of efficient, data-driven governance.
For federal agencies looking to accelerate their AI initiatives while maintaining data integrity and security, Progress Federal Solutions offers a proven path forward. To learn how we can enable AI capabilities tailored to your agency’s unique needs and challenges, fill out the contact us form on our Federal Solutions page.
Shayne is the Director of Professional Services for National Security Programs at Progress Federal Solutions, a subsidiary of Progress Software focused on federal initiatives. An Air Force veteran, he is committed to tackling critical security missions. Shayne is a proud father of three, embracing the joyful chaos of family life.
Subscribe to get all the news, info and tutorials you need to build better business apps and sites