The Trump administration has formally activated a new artificial intelligence initiative known as the “Tech Force,” a large-scale modernization program designed to integrate AI engineers directly into federal agencies and reduce the government’s reliance on external contractors.
Speaking during an appearance on Varney & Co., Scott Kupor, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, outlined the White House’s strategy to embed roughly 1,000 top-tier engineers throughout federal departments in what he described as a public-private collaboration focused on technological transformation.
According to Kupor, the initiative represents a structural shift in how the federal government approaches innovation.
“This effort is about ensuring that technology is treated as a core function of government,” he said. “We want to bring world-class engineering talent into agencies so that modernization becomes an institutional priority rather than an outsourced service.”
Embedding Engineers Across Federal Agencies
Unlike previous technology reforms that centralized IT operations in standalone offices, the Tech Force program will distribute engineers directly inside key federal departments. Agencies expected to participate include the United States Department of the Treasury, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States Department of War.
Kupor explained that this decentralized structure will allow technologists to work side-by-side with policymakers and operational staff, accelerating modernization projects in real time rather than routing them through outside consulting firms.
The administration is working in collaboration with major technology companies including Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, Salesforce, and Snowflake Inc.. These firms are expected to provide expertise, training partnerships, and advisory support as the initiative rolls out.
Reducing Reliance on Contractors
Kupor emphasized that one of the core motivations behind Tech Force is reducing the federal government’s heavy dependence on consultants and third-party contractors for AI and advanced software development.
“Government has historically outsourced much of its core technological work,” he noted. “What we lack is sustained, internal AI capability. Tech Force is intended to cultivate in-house expertise so that government can compete for and retain high-quality engineering talent.”
He pointed to Palantir Technologies as an example of how advanced AI tools have already been integrated within national defense operations, particularly inside the Department of War. The broader objective, he said, is to replicate similar technological depth across other departments.
Structured Talent Pipeline
Engineers selected for Tech Force will enter a formal program that includes professional development initiatives, speaker forums, and collaboration with private-sector partners. Applications are already being processed, and the administration expects to begin issuing offers within 30 to 45 days.
While many participants may eventually transition into private-sector roles, officials say the experience gained within federal agencies will create a stronger cross-sector talent pipeline and improve long-term government technology capacity. Kupor described the initiative as agency-specific in its implementation.
“The goal is to examine modernization needs department by department and determine how AI and digital infrastructure can directly improve services for the American public,” he said.
The Tech Force program marks one of the administration’s most structured attempts yet to embed artificial intelligence into federal operations at scale, signaling a broader policy shift toward institutional AI integration.
