Nearly 50 House Democrats are calling on the Trump administration to halt the use of what they call ‘unauthorized artificial intelligence systems’ in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to a letter sent Wednesday. The lawmakers expressed serious concerns about reported employee monitoring and access to sensitive data.
Led by Representatives Donald Beyer, Mike Levin, and Melanie Stansbury, the Democrats acknowledged AI's potential to modernize government but warned of "serious security risks, self-dealing, and potential criminal liability" if not properly managed, Reuters reported.
The letter specifically demands termination of any AI systems that haven't gone through formal approval processes such as FedRAMP or don't meet existing legal requirements. Lawmakers questioned whether the administration has deployed technology from Elon Musk's xAI company, asking for detailed information about new software implementations and their compliance with federal laws.
According to Reuters, Trump officials have reportedly used AI to monitor worker communications considered hostile to the administration. DOGE, which was established by President Trump to reduce government spending, is allegedly heavily utilizing Grok AI technology from Musk's startup xAI.
The Democrats highlighted concerns about potential conflicts of interest that would become "exponentially worse if Musk pursues further contracts to become a major provider of government AI services." As a special government employee, Musk is prohibited from involving himself in federal activities that would benefit his companies.
The letter comes amid broader tensions surrounding DOGE's oversight of federal agencies. Earlier this year, protesters gathered outside the Office of Personnel Management headquarters after Musk's department was charged with overseeing the agency.
The White House Office of Management and Budget, to which the letter was addressed, has not yet responded to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
Led by Representatives Donald Beyer, Mike Levin, and Melanie Stansbury, the Democrats acknowledged AI's potential to modernize government but warned of "serious security risks, self-dealing, and potential criminal liability" if not properly managed, Reuters reported.
The letter specifically demands termination of any AI systems that haven't gone through formal approval processes such as FedRAMP or don't meet existing legal requirements. Lawmakers questioned whether the administration has deployed technology from Elon Musk's xAI company, asking for detailed information about new software implementations and their compliance with federal laws.
According to Reuters, Trump officials have reportedly used AI to monitor worker communications considered hostile to the administration. DOGE, which was established by President Trump to reduce government spending, is allegedly heavily utilizing Grok AI technology from Musk's startup xAI.
The Democrats highlighted concerns about potential conflicts of interest that would become "exponentially worse if Musk pursues further contracts to become a major provider of government AI services." As a special government employee, Musk is prohibited from involving himself in federal activities that would benefit his companies.
The letter comes amid broader tensions surrounding DOGE's oversight of federal agencies. Earlier this year, protesters gathered outside the Office of Personnel Management headquarters after Musk's department was charged with overseeing the agency.
The White House Office of Management and Budget, to which the letter was addressed, has not yet responded to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
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