AI With No Lies: My Message At FedTalks 2025
On September 18, I had the pleasure to speak on stage at FedTalks 2025, one of the largest annual gathering of federal government leaders, C-level executives, tech innovators, and public-sector change-makers. More than 1,000 of the nation’s most influential leaders came together to explore how technology and people can transform government and our nation.
Walking the floor and talking to fellow presenters, I was struck by the pace of AI innovation within government. It has been nothing short of remarkable. At the event, OMB Deputy Director Eric Ueland laid out an ambitious vision, including the federal government’s goal to lead the way in AI adoption and experimentation. Leaders at organizations such as the USPS and CDC described rapid breakthroughs and an “intolerance for red tape.”
This aggressive push into AI adoption does not mean that government is enjoying a walk in the park. The reality is that AI is changing the type of work we do, shifting expectations for day-to-day tasks and demanding that strategic decisions be made faster than ever before.
The Urgent Need For Trusted Insight
Senior leaders are facing immense pressure. Organizational culture, especially concerning AI adoption and areas like Zero Trust, remains a major determinant of success. Moreover, teams are stretched thin. Many in government are doing a job previously handled by three or five people, all while expectations continue to climb.
This climate — where a significantly reduced workforce is met with demands to produce results faster than ever before — raises a critical question: Can your AI be your trusted superpower?
To meet this moment, you must level up your thinking and your efficiency, ensuring that the insights you rely on can be trusted. You make wide-ranging, hard decisions. Some of these require immediate answers in the micro term, while others demand well-thought-out answers for the long term.
If you are relying on AI for speed of decision-making, that intelligence must be trusted. It must be supported with content of undeniable rigor. As a research industry, we acknowledge a foundational truth: We cannot lie — so we don’t. In this era of high-stakes, rapid decision-making, the need for expanded access to insights is more critical than ever.
Introducing AI Access: Rigor Engineered For Speed
Forrester AI Access meets this moment because it is engineered to solve the complex challenge of needing speed without sacrificing depth or trust.
Historically, research and insights were treated as a coveted benefit, often too expensive to share with broader teams and reserved only for a very limited audience. But today, research access must be scalable.
AI Access transforms the way organizations can think about ITRAS (IT Research and Advisory Services). This solution leverages the research rigor that Forrester is known for and provides answers spanning both your micro-term and long-term decision needs.
It is a proven solution, over two years old and growing daily, designed to integrate into your operations — available on the web, on our reports and, soon, directly in your workflows.
By implementing AI Access, you equip your stretched teams with the trusted insights they need to make faster, strategic decisions, ensuring that your organization’s AI capabilities truly become the reliable superpower demanded by tomorrow’s hyper-efficient government.
Want To Dive Deeper?
Watch the full keynote recording, AI With No Lies: The Future of Federal Workforce Support, shared at the conference.