US government is using AI more, but hiring gaps and risk culture still slow progress

Phys · May 20, 2026 · 827 words · By Brookings Institution

Technological risk management Federal AI Adoption Government Workforce Challenges

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What to know about Technological risk management

The article discusses the current state of artificial intelligence adoption within the U.S. federal government, based on research from the Brookings Institution. It highlights growth in AI projects while identifying bottlenecks such as hiring gaps, risk-averse culture, and the impact of recent federal layoffs.

Propaganda risk 20%

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

US government is using AI more, but hiring gaps and risk culture still slow progress Robert Egan Associate Editor As is every large organization, the U.S.

Why it matters

government is assessing how to best integrate artificial intelligence into its procedures and workflows.

Common ground

While AI has undeniable risks, it also has the potential to make work significantly more efficient and effective in a broad range of ways, from automating simpler tasks to unearthing unexpected insights.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Technological risk management story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In 2025, large agencies (more than 15,000 employees) accounted for more than three-quarters of all AI use?
How does this story connect Technological risk management with Federal AI Adoption over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-ai-hiring-gaps-culture.html

analyticsAnalysis

20%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 8

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info

Claim 1: “In 2025, large agencies (more than 15,000 employees) accounted for more than three-quarters of all AI use.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While one search result mentions that agencies reported more than 3,000 AI use cases and lists specific departments (NASA, HHS, etc.), it does not confirm that large agencies (>15,000 employees) accounted for more than 75% of all AI use in 2025.

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web search NEUTRAL — Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a hypothetical type of artificial intelligence that matches or surpasses human capabilities across virtually all cognitive tasks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_general_intelligenc…

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web search NEUTRAL — In 2024, U.S. federal agencies introduced 59 AI-related regulations—more than double the number in 2023—and issued by twice as many agencies. Globally, legislative mentions of AI rose 21.3% across 75 …
https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2025-ai-index-report

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web search NEUTRAL — In total, agencies reported more than 3,000 AI use cases, with significant jumps in AI use at NASA and the departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Justice and Energy.
https://www.nextgov.com/artificial-intelligence/2026/05/surv…

info

Claim 2: “New research from the Brookings Institution has found that while the scope and pace of this adoption have accelerated over the past three years, AI use across the federal government remains concentrated in a few large agencies.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence confirms the existence and nature of the Brookings Institution, but does not provide any specific research findings or reports regarding federal AI adoption patterns or agency concentration.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Brookings Institution, often stylized as Brookings, [2] is an American think tank in Washington, D.C. The institution conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings_Institution

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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing…
https://www.brookings.edu/

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web search NEUTRAL — About Brookings The City of Brookings is located along the Wild Rivers Coast, boasts some of the warmest temperatures on the coastline, and is known for its stunning natural beauty, and welcoming comm…
https://www.brookings.or.us/

info

Claim 3: “Over the past three years, five agencies accounted for over half of the total AI use.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists of general definitions of the number 5 and unrelated businesses/software; there is no data regarding agency-specific AI use percentages.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/5

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web search NEUTRAL — Your local Five Below located at 375 N Capitol Ave is a place with unlimited possibilities where tweens, teens and beyond are free to Let Go & Have Fun in a color- popping, music pumping, super-fun sh…
https://locations.fivebelow.com/ca/san-jose/375-n-capitol-av…

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web search NEUTRAL — FiveM is a modification framework for GTA V, allowing you to play multiplayer on customized dedicated servers.
https://fivem.net/

info

Claim 4: “In 2023, 21 agencies, including 13 large agencies and eight midsize agencies, reported using AI; no small agencies participated.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence from the Stanford HAI report mentions AI-related regulations in 2024 and 2023, but does not provide the specific breakdown of 21 agencies (13 large, 8 midsize) using AI in 2023.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Use of AI agents is most often reported by respondents working in technology, media and telecommunications, and healthcare. We strive to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to our websi…
https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insig…

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web search NEUTRAL — Wang further calls for making federal agencies “AI-ready” by 2027, launching an “aggressive” plan for cheap electricity that can be consumed by AI-centric data centers, and offered ideas on how to imp…
https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/21/scale-ais-alexandr-wang-ha…

info

Claim 5: “By last year, 41 agencies (13 large, 17 midsize, and 11 small) reported AI use.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence mentions a directive for federal downsizing and general AI regulation trends, but does not corroborate the specific count of 41 agencies (13 large, 17 midsize, 11 small) reporting AI use in 2024.

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web search NEUTRAL — This is a list of intelligence agencies by country. It includes only currently operational institutions which are in the public domain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_intelligence_agencies

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web search NEUTRAL — The Trump administration has issued a sweeping directive ordering all federal agencies to prepare for significant staff and resource reductions. Reorganization plans are due no later than March 13.
https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/just-in-trump-orders-massiv…

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Claim 6: “Grok, developed by Elon Musk's xAI, has a well-documented history of reflecting his political values and generating questionable content”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided or found during the search for this claim.

info

Claim 7: “since the second Trump administration laid off nearly 300,000 federal workers last year, the number of AI-focused federal job listings has dropped significantly”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence mentions a 'sweeping directive' for federal downsizing by the Trump administration, but it does not specify that 300,000 workers were laid off nor does it link this to a drop in AI-focused job listings.

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web search NEUTRAL — The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day, first into hours, then into minutes, and lastly into seconds, for a total of 24 × 60 × 60 = 86 400 seconds per day. That …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second

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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · The meaning of SECOND is next to the first in place or time. How to use second in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second

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web search NEUTRAL — Second Life's official website. Second Life is a free 3D virtual world and original metaverse where users can create, connect, and chat with others from around the world using voice and text.
https://secondlife.com/

info

Claim 8: “Both the Biden administration and the two Trump administrations have emphasized the need for federal government AI adoption to improve service delivery, foster data-driven analysis, promote national competitiveness, and strengthen national security.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence discusses Joe Biden's status as a former president and Donald Trump's second inauguration in 2025, but contains no information regarding specific AI adoption policies or priorities for either administration.

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web search NEUTRAL — He is the oldest living former U.S. president since the second inauguration of Donald Trump in 2025, the oldest living former U.S. vice president since the death of Dick Cheney in 2025, and the oldest…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden

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web search NEUTRAL — Oct 9, 2025 · We last posted an update for President Joe Biden in October 2024, weeks before Election Day, and a look at what President Donald Trump inherited on Jan. 20. But it takes some time for ma…
https://www.factcheck.org/2025/10/bidens-final-numbers/

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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 20, 2026 · Former President Joe Biden announced he was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.
https://www.the-express.com/news/politics/202699/joe-biden-a…

help

Claim 9: “Anthropic's Claude has been dubiously labeled a "supply chain risk" by the Department of Defense following contract disagreements with the agency.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided or found during the search for this claim.

info

Claim 10: “In 2025, 41 agencies documented more than 3,600 distinct projects that used AI, a 69% increase from the previous year and five times the number reported in 2023.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence confirms the year 2025, but provides no data regarding the number of AI projects (3,600) or the percentage increase from previous years.

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web search NEUTRAL — 2025 (MMXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 2025th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 25th year of the 3rd millennium and the 21…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025

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web search NEUTRAL — Dec 14, 2025 · In 2025 numerous countries—such as the United States, Canada, and Germany—installed new national leaders, and some transitions were contentious. Several African countries experienced co…
https://www.britannica.com/topic/2025-Year-in-Review

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web search NEUTRAL — Yearly calendar showing months for the year 2025. Calendars – online and print friendly – for any year and month.
https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=2025&country=1

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.