DOGE leader at Treasury is looking to buy thousands of ChatGPT licenses

"Sam Corcos, a former startup leader and Department of Government Efficiency affiliate now serving as chief information officer at the Treasury Department, appears to have approved spending at least $1.5 million on up to 3,000 licenses for ChatGPT, the OpenAI platform, federal spending records show. The agency has obligations to spend $1.5 million on the services, and has already outlaid more than $500,000 for the technology, those records show."

"Fast Company obtained a user agreement showing that Treasury is allowing employees to use ChatGPT for "authorized" mission purposes. Such purposes include using the technology, in certain circumstances, with what's known as "controlled unclassified information," a government designation that's given to information that isn't classified, but still requires some safeguarding. The expanded use of the tool comes amid growing pressure on federal agencies to adopt artificial intelligence systems, which advocates say can increase efficiency and cut down on excess bureaucracy."

"In this case, the rules laid out in the user agreement include strong limits on how AI systems might be used-particularly, for example, with regards to personally identifiable information, market-sensitive economic information, and federal tax data. The rules also forbid Treasury staffers from trying to tamper with or evade an AI chatbot's security measures without express authorization. Employees aren't supposed to use the output of an AI system without a human reviewing that work, or obfuscate the role AI played in making a particular product, according to the user agreement."

Sam Corcos, serving as chief information officer at the Treasury Department, approved obligations of $1.5 million to purchase up to 3,000 ChatGPT licenses, with more than $500,000 already outlaid. Treasury allows employees to use ChatGPT for authorized mission purposes, including in certain circumstances handling controlled unclassified information that requires safeguarding. The user agreement imposes strict limits on use with personally identifiable information, market-sensitive economic data, and federal tax data. The agreement forbids tampering with chatbot security, requires human review of AI outputs, prohibits concealing AI's role, and states violations can lead to termination.

Read at Fast Company