USAi Platform Breaks Down Barriers to AI for Federal Workforce

The General Services Administration’s new USAi.gov platform will arm government employees with default access to artificial intelligence tools like chatbots amid the White House’s notable push this year to remove barriers to AI innovation.

Some say this move gets AI into the federal workforce more quickly and comfortably.

Glenn Parham, former DOD technical lead for generative AI and current CEO of GovBench, told GovCIO Media & Research that though USAi is not “super novel,” it can help encourage user adoption. He used the Air Force Research Laboratory’s NIPRGPT as an example of the workforce getting comfortable with using AI.

“[NIPRGPT] was so big because, by default, everyone at DOD had access to it,” Parham said.

Aligning with the White House’s AI Vision

GSA officials said USAi “isn’t just another tool,” but rather an extension of the White House’s AI Action Plan and a step toward transforming government operations.

“It’s infrastructure for America’s AI future,” said GSA CIO David Shive. “USAi helps the government cut costs, improve efficiency and deliver better services to the public, while maintaining the trust and security the American people expect.”

The platform’s secure, cloud-based environment allows agencies to explore capabilities, measure performance and identify strengths and limitations across different AI systems. This evaluation suite is designed to foster transparency and responsible innovation, enabling agencies to make informed decisions about customization and integration, GSA officials said.

The White House’s plan also outlines a comprehensive strategy to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI through smarter infrastructure, streamlined adoption and coordinated federal action like USAi. White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks said that the plan’s goal “is for the United States to win the AI race.”

A Collaborative, Cost-Free Model

Notable about the move is how the tool gets more public servants hands-on experience with AI while CIOs have been hesitant to authorize a lot of AI software. This could help them inform future procurement decisions, drive wider adoption and give industry an idea of what agencies want, said Parham.

“Right now, CIOs are really dragging their feet to authorize even ChatGPT government or Microsoft CoPilot,” Parham said. “If we’re able to bypass all these CIOs and put it directly in front of employees, I think that’s good.”

USAi follows a shared services model, offering a centralized platform where agencies can test and evaluate emerging technologies without duplicating resources. This approach helps to reduce costs, improve interoperability and accelerate deployment timelines for AI systems.

The platform offers models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Meta, providing capabilities ranging from sophisticated chat-based AI and code generation to advanced document summarization. GSA, according to officials, will act as a “curator of sorts” for determining which models will be available for testing, with a primary focus on American-made innovations.

USAi’s launch follows earlier announcements from GSA that included adding leading AI companies’ products to the Multiple Award Schedule and creating a series of partnerships with OpenAI, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Box and Anthropic as part of the agency’s OneGov approach redefining how government buys AI. These efforts make Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT available to all federal agencies.

By giving employees access to AI tools in a secure and trusted environment, the platform aims to foster a culture of experimentation and innovation, added GSA Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum.

“Advancing the federal government’s use of AI and expanding employee access are core to the GSA’s efforts to fulfill Trump’s directive to preserve U.S. leadership in the global technology race,” he said.

Unleashing AI Use Cases

The platform is expected to support a wide range of use cases — including automating routine tasks and enhancing decision-making in complex policy areas. The platform also provides “dashboards and usage analytics that help agencies track performance, measure maturity and guide adoption strategies,” according to GSA.

It also supports the creation of scalable, interoperable solutions that align with federal priorities around cybersecurity, privacy and equity, for example.

“USAi will put mission-ready tools directly into the hands of agencies to modernize faster, boost security, and lead globally,” said GSA Deputy Administrator Stephen Ehikian.

Parham encouraged industry to view the government’s service as a baseline, a challenge to innovate further as USAi evolves and agencies further adopt AI systems.

“I encourage industry to go out and [bring new ideas to government],” Parham told GovCIO Media & Research. “If you can’t out-innovate the government, then you’re not innovating hard enough. The government will provide the most basic chatbot. Companies and startups should go build even better chatbots.”