Technology
The key to improving SNAP delivery is data
COMMENTARY | Data sharing can help identify potentially eligible individuals, ease the income verification process and even reduce fraud.
Virginia Lottery looks to AI to improve gamers’ experience
After a bumper 2024 and alongside his role as sports betting regulator, Virginia Lottery Executive Director Khalid Jones has taken inspiration from Candy Crush and other apps as he plans for the future.
Forensic crime labs are buckling as new technology increases demand
A major federal funding cut could make labs’ struggles worse.
Threat intel firms on alert for government systems impacted by Microsoft SharePoint vulnerability
Governments, schools, healthcare providers and large enterprise firms are at risk, one cyber threat intelligence chief said.
‘Uncertainty’ swirls around federal funding cuts’ state and local impact
State and local tech leaders said during a webinar the impacts may not be truly felt until the end of this year. They said governments cannot just “hunker down,” but must prioritize where to spend.
‘This is a competition we have to win’: 4 observations from Dave McCormick’s AI and energy summit
Top leaders in tech and politics, including President Donald Trump, traveled to Pittsburgh for the inaugural event.
AI ‘detective’ sheds light on how people make decisions
A new study deploys small neural networks to clarify how and why people make the decisions they make.
Trump’s 'big, beautiful bill' directs Treasury to find a replacement for Direct File
The IRS debuted Direct File — which enabled taxpayers to file online with the agency for free — as a pilot in 2024 and it received largely positive reviews from those that used it.
Birmingham, Alabama ‘steadfast’ in Tech Hub commitment
The Magic City received a $44 million federal implementation grant in January, only to see it rescinded in May. Mayor Randall Woodfin said he is confident of final success, but otherwise will keep building the city as a tech leader.
As Amazon moves in, Pennsylvania lawmakers weigh innovation vs. oversight in AI policy
The efforts to make the commonwealth into an artificial intelligence powerhouse have plenty of upside and risk to go around.
Featured eBooks
Declining public trust in AI is a national-security problem
Could AI firms’ efforts to serve the government help reverse the trend?
AI agents in government: A transformation guide for state and local agencies
COMMENTARY | Navigating the current technology landscape in government can be challenging, but agentic AI offers numerous opportunities if used in the right way.
Santa Monica, California, revamps procurement ‘bottleneck’
The city has turned to Glass to run a new e-commerce platform that allows staff to make quicker purchases, keep track of contracts and maintain more transparency into the process.
Budget worries prevent more IT modernization, survey says
State and local leaders want to modernize their legacy systems, but uncertainty over federal funding is stymieing their progress, an EY survey shared exclusively with Route Fifty found.
‘More research needed’ on regulating human and AI relationships
Chatbots can provide companionship in certain situations, but speakers at a recent event said much more work is needed to understand and mitigate the risks, as well as educate users.
Lawmakers highlight success, bipartisan agreement on school cellphone bans
A recent House hearing showcased success at the state and district level as the bans gather steam nationwide. But Democrats warned that reduced federal funding for education will not help improve educational outcomes.
Vocational rehabilitation programs are in jeopardy — here's how digital wallets can help
COMMENTARY | Funding for individuals with disabilities seeking meaningful employment is under threat. Digital wallets can help track participant spending and reduce administrative burden.
‘All in on AI’: Shapiro, Amazon announce $20B AI investment in Pennsylvania
Gov. Josh Shapiro said the investment is the largest private-sector investment in the history of the commonwealth.
Exclusive
Direct File is 'beloved by its users,' internal IRS report says
The IRS is reportedly ending the Direct File, but a report obtained via the Freedom of Information Act says that 94% of users rated their experience as “excellent” or “above average.”
Texas lawmakers pull funding for child identification kits again after newsrooms report they don’t work
For the second legislative session, lawmakers have withdrawn funding for a company selling kits that promise to help find missing kids after ProPublica and The Texas Tribune reported there’s no evidence to support that claim.
