Labor Department employees can now access two OpenAI models through the company’s partnership with Microsoft Azure, making the agency the latest to integrate generative AI into its workflow.
The two OpenAI models now available to Labor staff are GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini, according to documents viewed by FedScoop. The agency’s platform for the OpenAI tech suggests that staff use the technology for specific applications, including a language translator, a “pros and cons analyzer,” and a memo writer. A large document analyzer and document comparison tool are also available in the interface.
The department has published a guide on the appropriate use of AI systems and cautions agency users that their role in properly using the generative AI tools is “crucial.” Staff are flagged with a warning before using the tool and are instructed to review outputs for accuracy.
The Labor Department did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication.
Previously, these kinds of generative AI tools had not been approved for Labor Department use and employees were warned not to enter federal information into the systems, a source within the agency told FedScoop.
Federal agencies were initially slow to adopt generative AI tools — and many blocked or forbid using the web platform version of systems like ChatGPT when they were first rolled out. Slowly, though, federal agencies have begun to investigate uses of generative AI tools for federal applications.
NASA, the Department of Homeland Security, and now Labor are just a handful of the agencies that now make OpenAI’s large language model technology available to staff. The General Services Administration has also released another tool, called GSAi, that uses models from both Anthropic and Meta.
OpenAI does not have an independent authorization through the FedRAMP program, which coalesces security standards for cloud technologies used by the federal government. Still, the AI firm has been able to offer its technology to the federal government through Microsoft, which has deep partnerships with the government for cloud services.
Written by Rebecca Heilweil
Rebecca Heilweil is an investigative reporter for FedScoop. She writes about the intersection of government, tech policy, and emerging technologies.
Previously she was a reporter at Vox’s tech site, Recode. She’s also written for Slate, Wired, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications.
You can reach her at rebecca.heilweil@fedscoop.com. Message her if you’d like to chat on Signal.