Amber Corrin<\/a><\/p>\n\n May 27, 2026 2:08 pm <\/p>\n
4 min read<\/p>\n
The phrase \u201cautonomous technology\u201d seems nearly synonymous with AI, but it wasn\u2019t always that way. The reality is that the government introduced autonomy into IT processes years ago. Fast forward to today: Developments in generative and agentic AI offer federal agencies a new era of transformational IT automation.<\/p>\n
For all the furor around the use of AI in the federal government \u2013 some of it sensible, some of it a little more sensationalist \u2013 there are practical applications already being proven in use cases and prototypes. Readiness to scale more broadly? It\u2019s not far off, according to Chris Kraft, the U.S. Secret Service\u2019s CIO and chief AI officer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you can demonstrate the capability and talk through the use case \u2013 even if it\u2019s not yet fully perfected \u2013 I think that\u2019s really helpful, especially for those who are not as technical, to see the art of the possible,\u201d Kraft said. \u201cI think one of the main challenges and opportunities in where we are with this AI technology is, can you be creative enough to leverage it within your mission space to deliver value that is going be either transformational or just incrementally better?\u201d<\/p>\n
Enhancing the human in the loop<\/p>\n
As one example, agentic AI offers a clear and scalable path toward processing \u2013 and prioritizing for review as merited \u2013 the constantly growing volume of data that today weighs down agencies\u2019 outdated and manual systems. The use of AI tools that scrutinize, organize and appropriately elevate data for review and response demonstrate how this new-era automation can empower the workforce and help people focus on essential areas for engagement, Kraft said.<\/p>\n
The same goes for anomaly detection, where the placement of the human in the loop is based on predefined criteria for flagging items for individual review, he added. While this isn\u2019t a new concept, agentic AI can take it a step further, taking some lower-level actions automatically while recommending for review and approval higher-level actions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s a great example of how you incorporate those types of decision points into the workflow so that a human has the opportunity to review and accept that course of direction,\u201d Kraft said. \u201cAnd I think as we look at scaling this out, whether it\u2019s at Secret Service or other organizations, it\u2019s about understanding what are you OK with and what can go ahead and be processed with the right controls and the right frameworks\u2026then also having those defined criteria where a human does come in and make that decision and then the workflow can proceed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Real progress here hinges on testing and evaluation that keeps the technology on that clearly defined path \u2013 and also establishes a degree of comfort. Moreover, regular training and orientation reinforces and evolves understanding of capabilities, roles and decision-making across the workforce, Kraft noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere should not be ambiguity when you\u2019re presented with a decision\u2026you need guardrails for the individuals that are going to be interacting with this capability,\u201d he said. \u201cTo get the most value, it\u2019s leaning forward on how we can leverage this within our workflows, to digest and process these large volumes of information and bring to the operators those critical insights that either you had a challenge getting to because of the volume of information, or because of the inability to perceive what these tools are able to perceive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Centering the mission-specific foundation\u00a0<\/p>\n
To be clear, it\u2019s anything but a one-size-fits-all solution. When, where and how these AI tools are used depend on use cases, on the threat landscape, on the time to respond and on the decision-making structures in place, among other factors.<\/p>\n
Kraft reiterated that a major key for success \u2013 especially for scaling beyond a prototype phase \u2013 involves solid testing and evaluation frameworks. These paradigms assess logic and provide transparent behind-the-scenes visibility into the agentic processes for determining next steps.<\/p>\n
Building in robust governance, along with committing to continuous training and feedback from the workforce, are additional priorities that go hand in hand with testing and evaluation, Kraft said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the technology available that could support your mission area? What does it look like and how can you leverage this? Because it\u2019s about going back to the art of the possible and being creative in how you can apply this technology,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s making the workforce more efficient and delivering capabilities that they wouldn\u2019t otherwise have the ability to deliver, either at the scale or the speed or the degree of precision. And I think it\u2019s enhancing those capabilities that the individual team members can provide to the organization and empowering them in ways that really are transformative.\u201d<\/p>\n
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