GAO: Agencies not logging AI buys
U.S. watchdogs found federal agencies are not systematically collecting lessons from their AI purchases, leaving acquisition knowledge fragmented across departments. The Government Accountability Office sampled four agencies and reported gaps in policies and practices for sharing what worked — a shortfall highlighted in recent coverage of the GAO findings. ( )
Federal agencies are buying more artificial intelligence tools without a routine way to record what worked, what failed, and what contracts should look like next time. (gao.gov) The Government Accountability Office said on April 13, 2026 that four agencies it reviewed — the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, and Department of Veterans Affairs — were not systematically collecting lessons from artificial intelligence acquisitions. (gao.gov) Those agencies told auditors their policies did not require them to gather those lessons before sharing them through a governmentwide repository that the Office of Management and Budget said the General Services Administration should build. (gao.gov; whitehouse.gov) Artificial intelligence buying is no longer a niche task in Washington. The Government Accountability Office said reported federal artificial intelligence use cases rose from 571 in 2023 to 1,110 in 2024, with generative artificial intelligence use cases climbing from 32 to 282. (gao.gov) The procurement problem sits in the middle of that growth. Agencies told auditors they struggled to find technical experts to review vendor proposals and to understand artificial intelligence costs before signing deals. (gao.gov) The report says agencies are buying artificial intelligence in several different ways: through new contracts written around agency requirements, through vendor-led pitches when agencies do not start with a detailed request, and through products or ongoing services. (gao.gov) That variety changes what buyers need to watch for. The Government Accountability Office said agencies were missing chances to reuse best practices on contract terms for data rights and testing requirements, and to avoid repeating mistakes as artificial intelligence purchases increase. (gao.gov) The backdrop is a White House procurement memo issued on April 3, 2025. Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-25-22 replaced earlier guidance and told agencies to buy artificial intelligence in ways that protect competition, track performance, and use cross-functional teams. (whitehouse.gov) That memo also said the General Services Administration, working with the Office of Management and Budget, should create a web-based repository for executive branch agencies within 200 days of the memo’s release. (whitehouse.gov) The Government Accountability Office recommended that the four agencies update policies so officials collect and apply lessons learned from artificial intelligence purchases. The agencies agreed or neither agreed nor disagreed, according to the report, and the fix is basic: write down the playbook before the next round of buying starts. (gao.gov; nextgov.com)
