Generative AI in Government: What to Expect in 2025

by  Elizabeth Moon

2025 may be a major year for generative AI adoption across government.

The year 2024 saw the public sector cautiously dipping its toes into the generative AI (gen AI) waters with pilot programs and experiments. Driven by the need to streamline operations and meet rising constituent expectations, these early initiatives demonstrated the potential of gen AI to deliver tangible value and ROI. Now, as we enter 2025, expect to see a significant shift from experimentation to widespread adoption.

Gen AI is poised to fundamentally transform how government agencies operate, enabling new levels of efficiency and constituent-centric service delivery. Here are four key trends that will shape this evolution in the coming year:

 Read full story at NextGov/FCW…

High-Quality Government Software Starts With Efficacy, Not Efficiency

by  Bryon Kroger,

How will the government deliver high-quality, secure software that creates measurable outcomes? Not simply through efficiency.

The emerging Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has sparked discussions about cutting spending and reducing the size of government to improve efficiency. But the fundamental problem hampering government software development and delivery isn't efficiency, it's efficacy. Cheaper and faster doesn't matter if the product or service doesn't do what you need. As Peter Drucker said, “There is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency something that should not be done at all.”

Agencies can only achieve real efficiency by ensuring solutions deliver the desired mission impact. When it comes to software, it's easy for large IT organizations to lose sight of this, but the mission impact is not automating infrastructure for maximum efficiency or determining how to manage Kubernetes clusters best. Ultimately, the goal in government is to continuously deliver valuable software that does things like win wars, save patients' lives, or provide critical services to citizens.

 Read full story at NextGov/FCW…

Unwrapping the NASCIO Top 10 CIO Priorities for 2025

by  Dan Kent & Steve Caimi

Though it briefly tied digital government for the top priority last year, cybersecurity and risk management has been the No. 1 priority for state CIOs for the last 12 years. And there it is, yet again, right at the top for 2025. Surprised? Not really.

So why has cybersecurity been on the top of the list for the last 12 years and will that change? Of course, this is because cybersecurity is complex and expansive, and with every new technology the threat landscape continues to grow. In state agencies and every large organization, cybersecurity is a journey of transforming processes and tools on a playing field that is constantly changing. Cloud transformation completely altered the cybersecurity stack that was previously deployed, modern application development increased the threat landscape with microservices and APIs and the list goes on. Now add in artificial intelligence (AI). The CIO and CISO cyber challenge is immense. Adopting new security frameworks, integrating old with new technologies, changing processes and dealing with humans all while remaining compliant and improving governance makes for a long journey.

 Read full story at GovTech…

21 Best Products and Technologies of CES 2025

by  PCMag Staff

After seeing countless gadgets and innovations from more than 4,000 companies in Las Vegas this week, these are the 21 worthy standouts we're betting on making it big in the year ahead.

58 years in, CES shows no signs of slowing down. This year, the show attracted roughly 140,000 attendees to Las Vegas to see new products and technologies from more than 4,000 companies. Naturally, PCMag's team of experts was there, getting our steps in across more than 2.5 million square feet of exhibition space.

We searched high and low for the coolest tech we could find, and this year, we had a new mission in mind. While we always compile a list of our favorite new products and technologies at the show, this time around, we joined forces with our sister publications CNET, Lifehacker, Mashable, and ZDNET to partner with the CTA for the Best of CES Awards. Our expanded team of experts selected winners in 12 official categories, designated in this story by a Best of CES badge in the images below.

 Read full story at PCMag…

Microsoft Warns 400 Million Windows Users—You Need A New PC

by  Zak Doffman

Just a few days ago, security researchers warned hundreds of millions of Windows users they'e at risk from a “dangerous security fiasco”

Microsoft has now confirmed the same, proclaiming 2025 “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” And for 400 million users in particular, that means hitting the stores before it's too late.

Ahead of CES, Yusuf Mehdi — Microsoft's consumer CMO, blogged that “the best, most secure and most performant way to realize the benefits of AI today, and into the future, is with a new Windows 11 PC.” But as appealing as that might be, the stick is much mightier than the carrot here. “We are mindful of the responsibility we have to protect our customers and their data,” he said. “Security is at the heart of everything we do at Microsoft.”

And that's the crux of the great PC refresh-slash-landfill that the Windows ecosystem now faces. Shiny new PCs replacing obsolete old ones, for which there will be no secondary market. New Windows 11 PCs “are the most secure PCs available today. And they ship with a growing list of security features that are enabled by default, designed to significantly reduce the potential of sophisticated cyber-attacks, protecting your data at all times.”

 Read full story at Forbes…

Top 10 AI Tools That Will Transform Your Content Creation in 2025

by  Adil Ahmad

Looking to level up your content creation game in 2025? You're in the right place! The digital landscape has evolved dramatically, and AI tools have become essential for creators who want to stay ahead of the curve. In this guide, I'll show you the top 10 AI tools that are revolutionizing content creation and making creators' lives easier

Why You Need These AI Tools in 2025

Content creation has become more demanding than ever. Whether you're a social media influencer, marketer, or business owner, keeping up with the constant need for fresh, engaging content can be overwhelming. That's where AI tools come in — they're not just fancy tech, they're your secret weapon for creating better content faster.

Let's Dive Into the Top 10 AI Tools for 2025

 Read full story at Crunch Hype…

9 US Electric Power Sector Issues to Watch in 2025

by  Robert Walton, Ethan Howland, Diana DiGangi, Larry Pearl, Brian Martucci>

From rising electricity prices and demand to emerging opportunities and challenges around nuclear, VPPs, renewables and more, we've highlighted nine of the most important issues for the year ahead.

3024 was a busy year for the U.S. power sector with a number of significant policy advancements in renewables, transmission, nuclear energy and other areas.

The year ahead will undoubtedly be an active one, too, as the sector navigates ongoing business challenges and the impacts of the 2024 elections. Here are nine key issues to watch in 2025.

Electricity prices continue perpetual ascent, driven by demand and gas exports

The price U.S. consumers pay for electricity will continue to ascend in 2025, driven by a range of factors including rising demand, transmission and distribution cost increases, and an anticipated rise in the price of natural gas, experts say.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

Can the U.S. Power Grid Handle the Data Center Boom?

by  Haley Zaremba

The US power grid is under stress due to aging infrastructure and changing energy consumption patterns.

The United States power grid is under enormous stress. Ageing infrastructure coupled with rapidly changing supply and demand patterns are pushing the grid to its limits, threatening national energy security. All of this volatility is leading to price shocks and punishing electric bills for households across the country, with rising energy prices outpacing inflation.

The rapid rise of renewable energy and increased adoption of electric vehicles are changing the inflows and outflows of energy to the grid. Renewable energies such as solar and wind power are variable, meaning that their production levels depend on external and uncontrollable variables such as the weather, the seasons, and the time of day. This means that renewable energy production patterns are often exactly inverted from demand patterns — to oversimplify the situation: homes turn on the lights after the sun sets on solar panels. What is more, rooftop solar has complicated energy grid flows, as consumers are now sending excess energy back into the grid, making previously one-way flows more complex.

 Read full story at OilPrice.com…

DOE Selects Utilities for Groundbreaking Technical Assistance Program to Advance Grid Deployment and Integration

by  DOE Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Innovative program equips utilities and grid operators with the expertise and resources needed to build the reliable, resilient, and secure grids required to meet the nation's growing energy demand.

The Department of Energy (DOE) welcomes the first utilities to participate in the Utility and Grid Operator Technical Assistance program. This innovative program from the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Grid Deployment Office is designed to equip utilities and grid operators with the expertise and resources needed to build the reliable, resilient, and secure grids required to meet the nation's growing energy demand.

“These utilities represent a diverse cross-section of the American grid, encompassing both rural and urban landscapes, and serving millions of customers,” said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “This groundbreaking program, powered by collaboration, will accelerate grid deployment and the integration solutions needed to deliver more affordable, equitable and reliable electricity to communities throughout the country.”

The Utility and Grid Operator Technical Assistance program is managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with support from Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The

 Read full story at US Department of Energy…