Agentic AI and the Human Capital Frontier This week, Apple researchers released a paper that may force the AI industry to pause. Their findings challenge the idea that advanced AI systems are capable of genuine reasoning. In fact, when confronted with problems that go beyond pattern recognition, these systems fail. Apple’s team describes this as…
Why Data is the Starting Line for HCM Transformation On April 15, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14271, Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts. The directive reinforced what many agency leaders have long known: modernization is no longer optional—it’s a federal imperative. Agencies must prioritize commercially available, cost-effective solutions over custom-built platforms. And…
With Agentic AI, Audit is No Longer a Four-Letter Word The Department of Defense has a deadline: a clean audit by 2028. And while the goal is non-negotiable, the path has been anything but linear. The audit challenge isn’t just complexity, it’s capacity. Skilled financial professionals are stuck chasing journal entries, reconciling inconsistencies, and rerunning…
Defense Budgeting Needs a Co-Pilot Federal budgeting has always been rigorous, methodical—and deeply manual. Even as agencies adopt digital tools, most systems still wait for human input. But with mission needs changing in real time, static workflows don’t cut it anymore. Remember Clippy? “It looks like you’re writing a letter…” Now imagine: “It looks like…
Rethinking Federal Acquisition in the Age of Intelligent Systems Why the Acquisition Function Needs a New Kind of Intelligence Federal acquisition is one of the most mission-critical operations in government yet remains one of the most complex. It demands precision, accountability, and coordination across a wide array of stakeholders: contracting officers, budget analysts, program managers,…
AI as a Mission Multiplier for Federal HR In today’s rapidly evolving federal landscape, the pressure to modernize isn’t just about keeping pace with technology—it’s about reshaping how agencies deliver on their missions. At Groundswell, we see the future of federal HR not just as digital, but intelligent. The next frontier is about unlocking the…
For over three decades, the Department of Defense (DOD) has grappled with the complexities of financial accountability, falling short of meeting the requirements of a clean audit under the CFO Act. The DOD has set an ambitious target: achieve a clean audit by 2028. To get there, it must tackle persistent challenges around documentation, reconciliation, data accuracy, and process consistency.
Modernizing Federal Procurement: Embracing AI, Automation, and Bold Change Federal procurement is overdue for modernization. While designed for accountability, the system has become inefficient, slow, and overly complex. The result? Lengthy procurement cycles, misalignment between contracting and program offices, and IT failures that cost taxpayers millions. The root cause isn’t just bureaucracy—it’s outdated technology and…
Harnessing Data for a Resilient Defense Industrial Base As we navigate an increasingly complex economic landscape marked by rising inflation, contracting margins, and stricter lending norms, our Defense Industrial Base faces a significant challenge in sustaining operational readiness. This predicament particularly affects small businesses, crucial links in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) supply chains, potentially…
Your Job is Coming for AI …and not the other way around! AI is more interested in assisting your career than it is in wiping it away. With the advancement of machine learning tools at our fingertips, we’re certainly well entrenched in a Hype Cycle of AI and automation. You don’t need to scroll far…
Balancing Military Logistics Move Now or Move Later? Deciding whether to move now or move later is a constant challenge in military logistics planning. The factors influencing this decision vary based on the perspective of the decision-maker. For example, an AMC logistician will consider different aspects when stocking a repair facility, depending on whether it…
From Stovepipes to Streamlined Modernizing Federal Acquisitions Overcoming Barriers in Federal Acquisition In many organizations, federal acquisition professionals operate in separate offices inadvertently creating information silos, with less-than-ideal communication and collaboration between offices. These stovepipes create barriers to success, with various stakeholders throwing documents over the fence without knowing their fate or having clear lines…
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