Building Government's Largest Civilian AI Team with DHS AI Corps' Director, Michael Boyce

In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, Nathan interviews Michael Boyce, Director of DHS's AI Corps, about bringing modern AI capabilities to federal government. We explore how the largest civilian AI team in government is transforming DHS's 22 agencies, from developing shared AI infrastructure to innovative applications like AI-powered asylum interview training. Join us for an insightful conversation about the intersection of artificial intelligence and public service, and discover why AI professionals should consider a career in government. Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse SPONSORS: Shopify: Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system and exclusive AI apps like Quikly. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive SelectQuote: Finding the right life insurance shouldn't be another task you put off. SelectQuote compares top-rated policies to get you the best coverage at the right price. Even in our AI-driven world, protecting your family's future remains essential. Get your personalized quote at https://selectquote.com/cognitive Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers13. OCI powers industry leaders with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before December 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive 80,000 Hours: 80,000 Hours is dedicated to helping you find a fulfilling career that makes a difference. With nearly a decade of research, they offer in-depth material on AI risks, AI policy, and AI safety research. Explore their articles, career reviews, and a podcast featuring experts like Anthropic CEO Dario Amadei. Everything is free, including their Career Guide. Visit https://80000hours.org/cognitiverevolution to start making a meaningful impact today. RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:01:00) About the Episode (00:03:38) Introducing Michael Boyce (00:05:49) What is Homeland Security? (00:09:52) History of AI at DHS (00:13:15) Generative AI at DHS (00:16:03) Structure of the AI Core (Part 1) (00:18:17) Sponsors: Shopify | SelectQuote (00:20:51) Structure of the AI Core (Part 2) (00:22:04) Opportunities for AI at DHS (00:25:34) Bureaucracy Hacker (00:30:34) The Manager's Role (Part 1) (00:35:24) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) | 80,000 Hours (00:38:04) Internal Chatbot Project (00:43:28) AI Role Playing for Training (00:49:55) A Request for Startups (00:57:46) Generative AI for Quality Check (01:03:20) AI Training at DHS (01:06:07) Metrics and the Future of AI (01:13:26) Non-Generative AI at DHS (01:19:08) AI and Automation at DHS (01:23:03) Join the AI Core (01:28:39) Outro