The Department of Energy has issued a request for information to explore the creation of a public-private consortium focused on collecting scientific data from national laboratories for artificial intelligence applications.
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The DOE also expects the consortium to develop self-improving AI models for science and engineering and make them available to the scientific community through government, private sector, academic programs and infrastructure, including the use of cloud platforms, according to an RFI published Thursday on SAM.gov. The move is part of the department’s efforts to leverage AI for scientific discovery, energy innovation and national security.
What input is DOE seeking on AI-focused consortiums?
DOE is seeking feedback from businesses, research institutions, think tanks, and investors on how to best build partnerships between national research agencies and industry.
Stakeholders will be asked to provide input on data curation, privacy-preserving AI methods, and the integration of general-purpose AI models and scientific datasets. The RFI also seeks guidance on identifying data modalities, evaluating AI model performance, and determining the optimal mechanism for cloud-based distribution of AI models to drive innovation.
DOE is seeking advice on the use of governance, intellectual property rights, and other trade powers to foster innovation while protecting U.S. research, technology, and manufacturing interests. The Department is also seeking input from stakeholders on lessons learned from existing AI consortiums and on non-traditional award structures that could help develop consortia efforts.
The deadline for responses is January 14th.
The Department of the Navy announced the Innovation Adaptation Kit (IAK), a framework designed to help commanders and program managers evaluate, implement, and scale innovative technologies across the DON enterprise. Join the conversations shaping government technology at the 2026 Digital Transformation Summit on April 22nd. Hear from experts in AI, cyber, and enterprise IT. Register now to secure your spot! What is the purpose of DON’s Innovation Adoption Kit? In a memo released in October, the DON Office of the Chief Information Officer said IAK aims to bridge the gap between new commercial innovations and society.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, FBI, other U.S. agencies, and international partners have issued new guidance identifying new techniques used by the Akira ransomware group and how to defend against them. What does CISA’s guidance on Akira ransomware include? CISA said Thursday that this joint advisory provides indicators of compromise and common tactics, techniques, and procedures to help IT teams identify Akira ransomware activity and protect their networks. This update is part of CISA and the FBI’s ongoing anti-ransomware efforts. CISA and the FBI urge organizations to act quickly by regularly backing up critical data.
Sandia National Laboratories and the National Nuclear Security Administration conducted a series of flight tests of a B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb in Nevada in August to verify the weapon’s performance when delivered and released by an F-35A aircraft, Sandia announced Thursday. What did the Sandia, NNSA test show? The test was held from Aug. 19 to 21 at Tonopah Proving Ground, with aircraft support from Hill Air Force Base, and used the inert B61-12 joint test assembly to evaluate end-to-end reliability of the aircraft, aircrew, and weapons systems. This series of tests also included the first thermal preconditioning of the B61-12 test assembly onboard an F-35 aircraft.
