AI Building Blocks

Event Date: June 17, 2025

Time: 8:00am - 11:30am

Location:

Partnership for Public Service | 600 14th St NW, Washington, D.C., 6th Floor

This half-day workshop equipped federal IT leaders with foundational AI knowledge. Attendees walked away with these key takeaways:

Mastered key AI concepts: Understood essential AI terminology and its relevance to federal IT.
Explored everyday use cases: Discovered real-world examples of how AI transformed government operations.
Asked the right questions: Learned how to consider responsible AI use and practiced effective prompting with various AI tools.

Agenda

8:00am - 8:35am

Breakfast

8:35am - 8:40am

Opening Remarks

8:40am - 9:00am

Fireside Chat: The Evolving Role of the Chief AI Officer

New directives from the presidential administration have prioritized artificial intelligence, introducing new goals for federal tech development and elevating the role of agency chief artificial intelligence officers. Hear from the Central Intelligence Agency’s CAIO on how the agency is approaching AI, shaping strategies around the tech and driving innovation.

Speakers

Moderator Amy Kluber Editor-in-Chief GovCIO Media & Research
Lakshmi Raman CAIO and AI Director, CIA

9:00am - 9:30am

Training Part 1: Foundations and Governance of Federal AI

This session will ground participants in the foundational concepts of AI with a specific focus on what matters most in a federal context. It will explore the differences between commercial tools like GPT and custom-built agency AI solutions, including their varying benefits, implementation strategies and governance requirements. Participants will also explore how data quality and long-term governance are often the sticking points in AI implementation.

Speaker

Taka Ariga Former Chief AI Officer and Chief Data Officer, OPM and Founder of Sol Imagination

9:35am - 10:05am

Lightning Rounds: Snapshots in Federal AI

AI leaders are developing, implementing and assessing AI strategies to accelerate mission outcomes and ensure thoughtful innovation across agencies. Hear from experts on how they envision AI transforming federal operations, advancing national priorities and staying ahead of emerging technological challenges.

Speakers

Moderator Sarah Sybert Managing Editor, GovCIO Media & Research
David Aha Director of the AI Center, NRL
Wole Moses CAIO, Federal Civilian Microsoft
Martin Stanley AI and Cybersecurity Researcher, ITL, NIST
Zach Whitman Chief Data Scientist and CAIO, GSA

10:10am - 10:40am

Training Part 2: Turning AI Use Cases Into Action

This practical session focuses on real-world AI use cases and how they can be implemented to support federal missions. Rather than theoretical discussions, participants will dive into examples of how AI is already being used to solve agency challenges. Microsoft’s experience with public-sector partners will inform discussion around best practices, with a focus on empowering agencies to confidently adopt AI that drives efficiency and innovation.

Speaker

Wole Moses CAIO, Federal Civilian, Microsoft

10:45am - 11:00am

Networking Break

11:00am - 11:30am

Training Part 3: Scaling AI Efficiently

This session focuses on what comes after initial AI experimentation to scale responsibly, efficiently and with strong governance. This training will provide guidance on scaling AI in a way that is sustainable and mission-driven. The session will also explore strategies for accelerating AI adoption while avoiding common pitfalls.

Speaker

Dave Erickson Distinguished Architect, Elastic

11:30am

Closing Remarks

Speakers

Lakshmi Raman CAIO and AI Director, CIA
Zach Whitman Chief Data Scientist and CAIO, GSA
David Aha Director of the AI Center, NRL
Taka Ariga Former Chief AI Officer and Chief Data Officer, OPM and Founder of Sol Imagination
Wole Moses CAIO, Federal Civilian, Microsoft
Dave Erickson Distinguished Architect, Elastic
Martin Stanley AI and Cybersecurity Researcher, ITL, NIST

Hear From Prior Attendees

“Content was great. Wonderful to hear from members the real-world case studies presented in the Lightning Talks.”
– Director, Vulnerability Disclosure Program, DC3

“Great overview of the technology, where it’s at in federal workspace. Speakers were knowledgeable, accessible.”
– IT Specialist, Configuration Management, VA

“Nice overview of vocabulary, how to understand AI and some things to look for.”
– Communication Analyst, ITADD, FBI