The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pushing forward with its artificial intelligence initiatives by awarding sole-source contracts to Abridge AI, Inc. and Nuance Communications, Inc. These contracts aim to develop AI-driven healthcare dictation tools. The pilot program will employ ambient AI technology to transcribe clinical encounters and seamlessly generate medical notes. This initiative is part of the VA’s broader strategy to enhance healthcare delivery by integrating these tools with its electronic health record system, thereby improving efficiency and reducing manual data entry.

Additionally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is transitioning its long-time online account users to Login.gov, a centralized identity verification service managed by the General Services Administration (GSA). This transition affects users who created accounts before September 2021. SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley emphasized that this move aims to enhance security and streamline access to SSA services. Over five million users have already made the switch, reflecting a broader federal effort to standardize authentication processes across agencies.

Hear more on today’s episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast.