Google Gemini Powers Government as OpenAI Certifies Workers

Major developments are unfolding in the artificial intelligence sector, with significant announcements from tech giants and new players alike. On December 9, 2025, Google Cloud revealed that its Gemini for Government AI is powering GenAI.mil for 3 million U.S. Department of War personnel. This IL5-authorized solution aims to streamline unclassified administrative tasks like policy summarization and risk assessments, with Sundar Pichai and Karen Dahut highlighting its role in government modernization. Simultaneously, Veritone announced its aiWARE platform is now available on self-hosted private clouds for public sector clients, offering secure and flexible AI solutions for intelligence analysis, public safety, and fraud detection. OpenAI is focusing on workforce development, introducing its first certification courses to teach practical AI skills. These programs, including AI Foundations and ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers, aim to certify 10 million Americans by 2030. They are piloting in-Chat learning with universities like Arizona State and California State, and partnering with the American Federation of Teachers to train 400,000 educators. Meanwhile, Anthropic is integrating its Claude Code AI directly into Slack, allowing developers to handle coding tasks within chat threads, signaling a shift in AI coding tools towards collaborative platforms. Challenges and new ventures also mark the current AI landscape. Experts at the Axios AI+ Summit on December 4 discussed hurdles for AI in healthcare, citing a lack of common goals, inconsistent state regulations, and communication issues. ManpowerGroup reported that skills gaps and economic issues, not AI, are the primary causes of layoffs and hiring difficulties, though a shortage of AI-related skills persists. Former President Trump plans an executive order that could preempt state-level AI regulations, such as those being developed in South Dakota. On the security front, F5 and NetApp expanded their partnership on December 9, 2025, to enhance AI workload security with post-quantum cryptography. Additionally, AZIO Corp. launched AZIO AI, a new independent company focused on high-performance computing and AI infrastructure, having achieved a $50 million sales pipeline in 60 days. Google DeepMind's Logan Kilpatrick noted the unpredictable nature of AI product success, where small performance gains, like with Gemini 3, can lead to significant product viability. Redfin also launched a new AI search feature for real estate, allowing natural language queries for home listings.

Key Takeaways

• Google Cloud's Gemini for Government now powers GenAI.mil for 3 million U.S. Department of War personnel, offering IL5-authorized generative AI for unclassified tasks.
• Veritone launched its aiWARE platform on self-hosted private clouds for government clients on December 9, 2025, providing secure AI solutions for public safety and intelligence.
• OpenAI introduced certification courses, including AI Foundations and ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers, aiming to certify 10 million Americans by 2030 and train 400,000 educators.
• Anthropic is integrating Claude Code into Slack as a beta feature, enabling developers to perform coding tasks directly within chat conversations.
• Former President Trump plans an executive order that could prevent states like South Dakota from enacting their own AI regulations.
• Experts at the Axios AI+ Summit on December 4 highlighted challenges for AI adoption in healthcare, including communication gaps and inconsistent state regulations.
• ManpowerGroup attributes recent layoffs and hiring difficulties primarily to skills gaps and economic issues, not AI, despite a shortage of AI-related skills.
• F5 and NetApp expanded their partnership on December 9, 2025, to enhance AI workload and data security with post-quantum cryptography.
• AZIO Corp. launched AZIO AI, a new independent company focused on high-performance computing and AI infrastructure, achieving a $50 million sales pipeline in 60 days.
• Redfin introduced a new AI search feature for real estate listings, allowing users to find homes using natural language queries.

Veritone brings secure AI platform to government clients

Veritone announced on December 9, 2025, that its aiWARE platform is now available on self-hosted private clouds for public sector clients in Irvine, California. This deployment helps government agencies get flexible and secure AI solutions. The aiWARE platform offers enhanced security, interoperability, flexibility, and cost efficiency. It assists with tasks like intelligence analysis, public safety, and fraud detection, giving agencies full control over their data.

Google Cloud AI powers GenAI.mil for Department of War

On December 9, 2025, Google Cloud announced the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office chose Gemini for Government. This AI will power GenAI.mil for 3 million U.S. Department of War personnel. Gemini for Government offers secure, IL5-authorized generative AI for unclassified tasks. It helps streamline administrative work like summarizing policies and creating risk assessments. Sundar Pichai and Karen Dahut highlighted its role in modernizing the government and boosting productivity.

CDAO chooses Google Cloud AI for GenAI.mil

The Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office picked Google Cloud's Gemini for Government to power GenAI.mil. This platform will serve 3 million U.S. Department of War personnel. Gemini for Government is an enterprise-grade AI solution with IL5 authorization. It helps streamline unclassified tasks like summarizing documents and automating workflows, while ensuring data security. Sundar Pichai and Karen Dahut emphasized its role in government modernization and productivity.

OpenAI launches new courses for practical AI skills

OpenAI introduced its first certification courses to teach practical AI skills for workforce education. These courses aim to help people gain real-world experience with OpenAI's models and tools. The AI Foundations course will pilot within ChatGPT for select employers and public service groups. A ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers course is available on Coursera to help educators use AI in classrooms. OpenAI plans to certify 10 million Americans by 2030, expanding economic opportunities.

OpenAI offers AI certification for students and teachers

OpenAI launched new certification courses to build job-ready AI skills for college students, workers, and K-12 teachers. Kevin Mills and Leah Belsky announced these programs, which include ChatGPT Foundations and ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers. OpenAI is piloting in-Chat learning with universities like Arizona State and California State. The company also partners with major employers and the American Federation of Teachers to train 400,000 educators. These courses aim to expand economic opportunities and prepare the workforce for AI.

Trump order may block South Dakota AI laws

Former President Trump plans an executive order that could stop states like South Dakota from making their own AI rules. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and state lawmakers have worked on AI safety measures, especially against deepfakes. However, Representative Steve Duffy believes the federal government, not states, should set these rules. Jackley previously opposed a budget proposal that would prevent states from enforcing AI laws for 10 years.

Anthropic brings Claude Code AI to Slack

Anthropic is launching Claude Code in Slack, letting developers handle coding tasks directly from chat threads. This beta feature, available as a research preview, allows users to tag @Claude to start a coding session using Slack conversations. Claude Code can analyze messages, find the right code, post updates, and share links for review. This move shows AI coding tools are shifting from development environments to team collaboration platforms. It aims to change developer workflows by embedding AI directly into their daily communication.

Google DeepMind says AI product success is unpredictable

Logan Kilpatrick, a Group Product Manager at Google DeepMind, shared that even Google cannot always predict which AI products will succeed. He noted that improvements in AI models can suddenly make new products viable, like with Gemini 3. Kilpatrick explained that small increases in AI performance can lead to big changes in how useful a product is. This shows that AI development is currently more about unexpected breakthroughs than predictable progress.

Healthcare AI faces hurdles say experts at Axios Summit

Experts at the Axios AI+ Summit on December 4 in San Francisco discussed challenges for AI in healthcare. They said better communication and teamwork are needed to use AI's full potential. Getlabs CEO Claire Hough noted that getting partners to adopt AI is a big obstacle. Sonny Shergill from AstraZeneca added that a common goal for AI in healthcare is missing. Inconsistent state regulations and unclear governance also slow down AI adoption, according to Gerald Kierce and Rajaie Batniji.

ManpowerGroup says skills gap not AI causes layoffs

ManpowerGroup, a leading staffing agency, states that AI is not the main reason for recent layoffs or hiring difficulties. Instead, weak demand, economic issues, and a mismatch of skills are the primary causes. While 72% of companies struggle to find skilled workers, especially in information and public services, they also report a shortage of AI-related skills. Employers blame economic challenges for staff cuts, with automation playing a smaller role. The report highlights that technology is changing jobs more than eliminating them, creating a need for new expertise like communication and collaboration.

F5 and NetApp boost AI security with quantum protection

On December 9, 2025, F5 and NetApp announced an expanded partnership to improve AI workloads and data security. Their combined solutions help optimize large data transfers for AI and machine learning, ensuring secure delivery. They also introduce post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to protect sensitive S3 data from future quantum computing threats. This allows businesses to gradually adopt quantum-safe encryption, using technologies like TLS 1.3 and hybrid cryptography. John Maddison of F5 and Spencer Sells of NetApp emphasized securing data while maintaining high performance.

AZIO Corp launches new AI computing company AZIO AI

AZIO Corp. announced the launch of AZIO AI, a new independent company focused on high-performance computing and AI infrastructure. This move follows AZIO Corp.'s rapid growth, achieving a $50 million sales pipeline in just 60 days. AZIO AI will provide advanced hardware and cloud solutions, including GPU servers and AI accelerators, for AI development and machine learning. The company aims to become a leader in the AI sector, serving various industries like technology, finance, and healthcare.

Redfin's AI search makes finding homes easier

Allison Johnson from The Verge shared her excitement for Redfin's new AI search feature for real estate listings. Launched recently, this tool allows users to search for homes using natural language, making the process much simpler. It can understand complex requests, like finding homes with a "tiki bar" by also looking for "tropical theme." The AI search helps users quickly find specific properties without needing to use many filters or keywords. This feature proves surprisingly useful for both serious buyers and casual home browsers.

Sources

• Veritone Showcases AI Interoperability and Open Architecture for the Public Sector with aiWARE™ Deployment on Self-Hosted Tenants
• Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office Selects Google Cloud's AI to Power GenAI.mil
• Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office Selects Google Cloud's AI to Power GenAI.mil
• OpenAI launches first certification courses focused on practical AI skills
• OpenAI launches new AI certification courses for students and teachers | ETIH EdTech News
• Trump’s planned executive order would block South Dakota artificial intelligence regulations
• Claude Code is coming to Slack, and that's a bigger deal than it sounds
• It’s Hard For Even Us To Know Which Product Experiences Will Just Start Working Because Of Improvements In AI: Google’s Logan Kilpatrick
• Axios AI+ DC Summit: Fractured system blocks AI's full potential in health care, experts say
• AI isn't the reason you got laid off (or not hired), top staffing agency says. You don't have the right skills
• F5 (NASDAQ: FFIV) and NetApp advance AI workloads with post-quantum data protection
• AZIO Corp Unveils AZIO AI, an Independent High-Performance Computing Company, Following Rapid Expansion and $50 Million Sales Pipeline in First 60 Days
• I’m obsessed with Redfin’s AI search