Musk Replacing Bureaucrats with Bots

The AI race is heating up as tech giants and government agencies push forward with bold new initiatives. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is rolling out its AI chatbot, GSAi, to federal employees amid widespread layoffs, aiming to streamline operations under President Trump’s AI-first agenda. While some view it as a productivity booster, critics argue it undermines government digital services.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is taking direct aim at OpenAI by developing its own in-house AI models, MAI, to reduce reliance on its partner and compete in the rapidly evolving AI space. With plans to integrate these models into Microsoft 365 Copilot and release them for developers later this year, the company is making a strategic pivot to diversify its AI ecosystem.

On the horizon, Google is set to unveil its latest Gemini models on March 12, featuring enhanced multimodal reasoning and deeper integrations with Google services. If the launch proceeds as expected, these updates could redefine AI personalization and utility—assuming Google avoids the delays that have plagued previous rollouts.

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DOGE Deploys AI Chatbot Amid Government Layoffs

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has accelerated the rollout of its custom AI chatbot, GSAi, to federal employees as part of a broader initiative to modernize government operations under President Donald Trump’s AI-first agenda. Designed to enhance efficiency, GSAi assists with tasks like drafting emails, summarizing text, and analyzing procurement data. Currently deployed to 1,500 General Services Administration (GSA) employees after a pilot in February, the chatbot aims to boost productivity amidst significant layoffs in the agency. While some employees find it comparable to an intern in performance, DOGE envisions it as a tool to streamline operations and reduce costs by integrating advanced AI into federal workflows. However, critics argue this approach undermines the original mission of the U.S. Digital Service, which DOGE replaced.

Microsoft Develops AI Models to Compete with OpenAI

Microsoft is developing in-house AI reasoning models, known as MAI, to reduce its reliance on OpenAI and compete directly in the AI space. These models, trained to perform nearly as well as OpenAI's and Anthropic's leading systems, utilize advanced chain-of-thought reasoning techniques for solving complex problems. Microsoft is also testing models from xAI, Meta, and DeepSeek as potential replacements for OpenAI in its flagship product, Microsoft 365 Copilot. The company plans to release the MAI models later this year as APIs for developers, marking a significant shift in its AI strategy to diversify technology sources and cut costs while enhancing its competitive edge in the AI market.

Google to Release New Gemini Models on March 12

Google is expected to release new Gemini models on March 12, based on evidence in code and tooltips indicating "New models available." The anticipated updates may include stable versions of Flash 2.0 Thinking models, which integrate with Google services like Gmail and Maps, and a personalization feature offering tailored responses based on user behavior. These advancements align with Gemini's focus on multimodal capabilities, combining text, images, and apps to improve reasoning and utility. If launched as planned, this release could mark a significant step in Google's AI strategy, though prior delays suggest the possibility of postponement.

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