Artificial Intelligence (AI)

On April 29, 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told the House Armed Services Committee that the Pentagon will “shortly announce a sub-unified command of autonomous warfare.”  The announcement came as the Department of War (DoW) unveiled its fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request, which proposes approximately $54 billion for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG)—a dramatic increase from the roughly $226 million the DAWG received previously.  When all DoW drone and counter-drone related budget lines in the FY 2027 budget request are aggregated, the total approaches $74 billion—an amount Pentagon officials have described as the largest investment in such technologies in U.S. history.  

Beyond the headline numbers, Secretary Hegseth’s reference to a “sub-unified command” is institutionally significant.  It raises fundamental questions about how the DoW intends to organize autonomous warfare inside the joint force and warrants a closer look at what a sub-unified command actually is.

Continue Reading The Pentagon’s New Sub-Unified Command for Autonomous Warfare:  What It Means and Where It Might Land

On March 17, 2026, the Department of Energy (“DOE”) issued a Request for Application (“RFA”) under the Genesis Mission, a White House-led AI initiative announced in November 2025.  The RFA, with $293.76 million in anticipated total funding, solicits project proposals for 21 areas ranging from advanced manufacturing and industrial productivity to energy and nuclear physics.  Applications for Phase I and letters of intent for Phase II are both due April 28, 2026.  This blog post reviews the development of the Genesis Mission since last year and summarizes the key elements of the current funding opportunity.

Continue Reading DOE Announces a New Funding Opportunity under the Genesis Mission  

The past month has marked a series of announcements from the Department of War (the “Department”) emphasizing rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (“AI”) industry partnerships.  These announcements signal opportunities for not only the defense industrial base, but also nontraditional defense contractors focused on technology and data.

On January 9, 2026, the Department released two key memoranda: (1) Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the Department of War, setting out measurable pace-setting projects, barrier removal authorities, and mandated data access; and (2) Transforming the Defense Innovation Ecosystem to Accelerate Warfighting Advantage, which aims to unify the defense innovation ecosystem under the Under Secretary of War for Research & Engineering as Chief Technology Officer (“CTO”).  

Shortly after, on January 12, Secretary Hegseth delivered a speech, presenting an overhaul of the Department’s innovation and acquisition ecosystems.

The January 9 memoranda and Secretary Hegseth’s speech signal the Department’s intent to formalize a single, CTO-led innovation operating system designed to produce three outputs: next-generation technology, scalable products, and new ways of fighting—and to do it at “wartime speed,” with AI as the first major proving ground.

Continue Reading Pentagon Releases Artificial Intelligence Strategy

The Department of Commerce recently released a new funding opportunity to support semiconductor-related research and development using funds appropriated under the CHIPS Act of 2022 (Pub. L. No. 117-167, 136 Stat. 1366 (Aug. 9, 2022)).  Set forth below are a few key considerations that interested applicants should bear in mind when evaluating this opportunity, including that the Department may expect to receive upside (e.g., equity stakes) in selected projects.

Continue Reading U.S. Department of Commerce Opens New Funding Opportunity for Semiconductor R&D

This is the sixth blog in a series of Covington blogs on cybersecurity policies, executive orders (“EOs”), and other actions of the Trump Administration.  The fifth blog is available here and our initial blog is available here.  This blog describes key cybersecurity developments that took place in July 2025. …

Continue Reading July 2025 Cybersecurity Developments Under the Trump Administration

This is part of an ongoing series of Covington blogs on the AI policies, executive orders, and other actions of the Trump Administration.  This blog describes AI actions taken by the Trump Administration in July 2025, and prior articles in this series are available here.

White House Issues AI…

Continue Reading July 2025 AI Developments Under the Trump Administration

On July 23, the White House released its AI Action Plan, outlining the key priorities of the Trump Administration’s AI policy agenda.  In parallel, President Trump signed three AI executive orders directing the Executive Branch to implement the AI Action Plan’s policies on “Preventing Woke AI in…

Continue Reading Trump Administration Issues AI Action Plan and Series of AI Executive Orders

On June 6, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (“Sustaining Select Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Cybersecurity and Amending Executive Order 13694 and Executive Order 14144”) (the “Order”) that modifies certain initiatives in prior Executive Orders issued by Presidents Obama and Biden and highlights key cybersecurity priorities for…

Continue Reading White House Issues New Cybersecurity Executive Order

On May 22, 2025, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (“CISA”), which sits within the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) released guidance for AI system operators regarding managing data security risks.  The associated press release explains that the guidance provides “best practices for system operators to mitigate cyber risks through…

Continue Reading CISA Releases AI Data Security Guidance

This is part of an ongoing series of Covington blogs on the AI policies, executive orders, and other actions of the Trump Administration.  This blog describes AI actions taken by the Trump Administration in April 2025, and prior articles in this series are available here.

White House OMB Issues…

Continue Reading April 2025 AI Developments Under the Trump Administration