The Trump administration announced a new initiative on Monday, December 15th, called the “U.S. Tech Force,” which will consist of approximately 1,000 engineers and other professionals. They will be working within the federal government on projects related to artificial intelligence infrastructure and other technological endeavors. This initiative is one of the measures taken by the Trump administration to modernize government systems and maintain a leading position in global technological competition.
This two-year program will provide participants with federal government employment and ultimately offer opportunities for talent recruitment in the private sector.
The initiative is led by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in collaboration with other government agencies. According to the official website of the “Tech Force,” professionals involved in the program will be placed in various government agencies to work on modernization projects, including those related to artificial intelligence.
The website states that this government initiative will “collaborate with leading technology companies.” These “private sector partners” include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Apple, Google Public Sector, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Oracle, Palantir, Salesforce, and many other companies.
Once members of the “Tech Force” complete their two terms in the program, they can seek full-time positions at these companies, which have also pledged to prioritize these members. Additionally, these private sector partners can nominate their employees for short-term government service.
Scott Kupor, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, stated that members of the “Tech Force” may receive annual salaries ranging from $130,000 to $195,000, along with benefits.
The launch of this program demonstrates the increasing focus of the Trump administration on developing America’s artificial intelligence infrastructure, as it competes with China for dominance in this rapidly growing industry.
The announcement of this initiative came just four days after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at establishing a national artificial intelligence policy framework. Industry leaders have opposed individual states creating varying AI regulatory standards.
Director Kupor stated that the initiation of the “U.S. Tech Force” aims to address the technological and early-career talent gap across the entire government sector. The program comes at a time of global competition for artificial intelligence talent, with tech companies enticing top engineers and researchers with high salaries and various benefits.
Kupor also mentioned that these positions do not have specific degree or experience requirements, and encouraged interested individuals to “apply as soon as possible” on the website.
Recruitment information will be posted on job websites in the United States. Kupor expressed his hope to recruit all approximately 1,000 professional talents planned for the “Tech Force” by the end of March next year.