From technology pilots to platforms: How federal agencies are rewiring IT for smarter government

Civilian cabinet agencies face common challenges: too many service desks, too many siloed tools, and too much time spent assisting employees with software support, helping constituents access basic services, and collaborating with business partners to integrate their services with agency systems. If anything, these issues became more persistent as systems expanded into the cloud, employees and users became more mobile, and threat actors appeared more frequently.

In response, one agency consolidated multiple service desks into a single operating platform that was already part of its technology stack. They were also able to take advantage of recently added AI agents built into the platform. These AI agents were trained on IT knowledge bases and past incidents and could automatically suggest solutions for many of the service requests the IT department was handling. Instead of waiting for a ticket to be resolved, employees and users can now get instant responses to common issues, allowing the tech staff to focus on more complex problems.

“This isn’t an ambitious vision. This is happening right now,” said Jonathan Alboum, federal CTO at ServiceNow and former CIO at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who works with agencies to leverage their data and AI, using ServiceNow’s platform capabilities. “When an incident is reported, the AI looks across all knowledge articles and prior cases to generate a response plan in seconds. That means employees can get back to their mission faster and at lower cost.”

This modernization move wasn’t just about streamlining tech support. It reflects a broader effort to leverage AI-ready platforms to improve efficiency, lower costs, and create an environment for smarter government.

From process to outcomes

While agencies have repeatedly turned to technology to operate more efficiently, several developments are changing the IT landscape to support smarter government, according to Michael Cole, chief technology officer for Federal Civilian at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT).

“AI itself is the single most impactful thing that’s going on in the market right now,” Cole said. “It’s reducing costs. It’s making things more effective. It’s improving citizen experience. AI is going to play a big role as government agencies rethink their processes.” 

Another development, though, is the General Services Administration’s new OneGov Strategy, initiated in April, which promises to leverage the collective buying power of the entire government to obtain technology services that agencies need.

OneGov opened the door for agencies to buy software, specifically AI, more efficiently. This has already led to a significant decrease in costs, but it is also encouraging a shift at agencies to work more closely with technology providers, and “focus more on outcomes, not the processes,” noted Cole.

“I give GSA a lot of credit for bringing strategic focus to software purchasing,” Alboum said. “Oftentimes, the process for how we went about doing things was more important than the outcome because we felt bound by some construct or regulation,” he said, recalling his time at USDA. “With OneGov, agencies can acquire widely used tools at significant discounts, which now include advanced AI capabilities. That makes modernization easier and more affordable.”

Piloting before buying

Another development impacting IT decisions is the increased embrace of pilot projects involving commercial platforms that can be tailored and deployed quickly. Historically, federal IT projects involved massive, custom-built systems that took years to design and deploy. Agencies no longer can afford to gamble on multi-million-dollar “rip and replace” contracts. Instead, they need to capitalize on their previous investments and prove new technologies on a small scale before committing.

“At this moment, we have more than 60 pilots running with our customers,” Cole noted. “It’s about proving that what we say we can do will actually meet their needs. Pilots reduce risk, accelerate adoption, and ultimately serve the mission.” Agencies increasingly demand demonstrations, not just written proposals, in a “‘show me, don’t tell me’ model”, Cole added.

This “design by experiment” model has become essential in a world of rapid policy shifts and fast-moving global challenges. “Pilots give you the data to decide whether to scale up or pivot,” said Alboum. “That’s crucial not just for efficiency, but for national security and economic competitiveness.” They also facilitate modernization without necessarily requiring massive overhauls of existing technology, much of which still functions effectively, if not efficiently.

Instead of ripping and replacing legacy systems, many agencies are modernizing by layering integration tools on top of existing infrastructure. This approach enables agencies to connect siloed data, deliver a “single pane of glass” view, and adopt new AI-driven features without rebuilding from scratch. Cole explained that GDIT can build solutions and prove them out before the government buys by co-investing with partners like ServiceNow. “That’s a real change.”

Turning on features, not buying new tools

Another development accelerating agency modernization is the growing ability to add AI capabilities into existing infrastructures they already own. Implementing generative AI or agentic AI doesn’t require buying a whole new system or application — it often just involves enabling a feature. This lowers the barriers to innovation.

This incremental approach allows CIOs to progress at their own speed, upgrading systems as needed without interrupting service. It also helps agencies avoid the cycle of expensive, large-scale IT replacements and provides them with greater flexibility to manage their AI initiatives.

That’s increasingly important as AI adoption gains momentum. “Somebody has to manage all those AI agents so they’re working together,” noted Alboum. “At ServiceNow, we’ve built an ‘AI Control Tower’ that provides visibility across models — how they were built, the data they use, their value, and any drift over time. That governance capability is essential to managing these hybrid workforces —human and digital workers — and to long-term success.”

“AI, smarter buying, faster acquisition—all of it is aimed at making government IT smarter, more efficient, and better aligned to mission outcomes,” said Cole. “That’s the future we’re building toward.”

This article was produced by Scoop News Group and sponsored by GDIT.

Learn more about how GDIT helps agencies leverage AI for smarter government.