Democrats Demand Answers on DOGE's Use of AI

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee fired off two dozen requests Wednesday morning pressing federal agency leaders for information about plans to install AI software throughout federal agencies amid the ongoing cuts to the government's workforce. The barrage of inquiries follow recent reporting by WIRED and The Washington Post concerning efforts by Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to automate tasks with a variety of proprietary AI tools and access sensitive data. "The American people entrust the federal government with sensitive personal information related to their health, finances, and other biographical information on the basis that this information will not be disclosed or improperly used without their consent," the requests read, "including through the use of an unapproved and unaccountable third-party AI software." The requests, first obtained by WIRED, are signed by Gerald Connolly, a Democratic congressman from Virginia. The central purpose of the requests is to press the agencies into demonstrating that any potential use of AI is legal and that steps are being taken to safeguard Americans' private data.