The Office of Personnel Management last week announced a survey of federal employees already working with AI, the latest step in a multiyear effort to prepare federal agencies for artificial intelligence.
The AI in Government Act of 2020 requires OPM to identify key skills and competencies needed for federal employees working with AI, including creating new job series and revising existing job series related to artificial intelligence. It is being And President Biden’s 2023 Executive Order on AI will require federal agencies, including OPM, to ensure that AI is used safely and reliably and to hire federal employees specialized in new technologies. There is a need to implement a “rapid increase in national AI human resources.”
Last July, OPM completed the first step of its work, identifying 43 general competencies and 14 technical competencies needed to use AI. And in a memo last week, Veronica Hinton, OPM’s associate director of workforce policy and innovation, said the Office of Personnel’s next task is to survey current federal employees who are already working with AI to help OPM. Announced that the initial skill list will be confirmed.
“The OPM Artificial Intelligence Operations Analysis Study represents the next stage of research to validate the AI capabilities identified by technical and human resources experts needed to perform AI operations across government. used,” Hinton wrote. “OPM is scheduled to issue the OPM AI Job Analysis Survey today, the results of which will be used to develop an AI competency model.”
The survey targets federal employees working on AI in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, chief information officers, chief data officers, and other technical and subject matter experts across the government. Her Feds who are working on AI but have not received survey responses via email can email her at Competency@opm.gov to be added to the list.
Later in the process, OPM may revise the job series or create a new job series to incorporate AI-related skills. It also determines the number of federal employees holding AI-related positions in each government agency, with two and he potentially performing five duties. An annual forecast of the number of AI personnel that each government agency will need to hire or otherwise employ.
“Agencies will be able to identify AI talent with the skill sets needed to achieve their mission and strategic goals,” Hinton wrote. “Newly validated AI competency models not only enhance the skillsets of federal employees, but also serve as a foundation for assessing, hiring, developing, and advancing talent to emerging roles. OPM’s AI The competency model will also help create an AI competency framework through a partnership with the National Science Foundation.”
