US government launches ‘Tech Force’ to hire AI talent

New York (CNN) — The US government is launching an early career hiring and talent development program to bring more technology and artificial intelligence employees to the public sector, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to modernize government systems and stay ahead in the global tech race.

The launch of the “US Tech Force” is designed to address a technical and early career talent gap across the government, according to Scott Kupor, the director of the Office of Personnel Management which is spearheading the program. The effort comes amid a broader war for AI talent, with tech companies offering sizable salaries and other perks to attract top engineers and researchers.

OPM plans to hire an initial cohort of 1,000 early career software engineers, data scientists, project managers and AI experts to be placed across government agencies for the two-year program. It will also partner with tech companies to recommend early career managers to take a leave of absence from their private-sector roles to join the Tech Force.

“If you’re thinking about, long term, a career in technology, there is no bigger and more complex set of problems than we face in the federal government,” Kupor said in a call with reporters ahead of the program’s announcement Monday.

The Trump administration has sought to implement AI to modernize and make more efficient systems across the federal government, including with the controversial Department of Government Efficiency. That effort, launched under Elon Musk earlier this year, is no longer operating as a “centralized” organization, officials said last month.

President Donald Trump in July also signed an AI action plan, a set of initiatives and policy recommendations that centered on growing US AI infrastructure and scaling back regulation to promote US competitiveness.

Members of the new US Tech Force will work directly for individual agencies on projects determined by agency leadership. OPM will conduct an initial review and technical assessment of applicants and recommend approved candidates to agencies for final interviews and hiring decisions.

Applications open Monday, and OPM hopes to have most members of the first cohort placed in roles within the first quarter of 2026.

Members of the Tech Force are expected to work on projects such as incorporating advanced AI into drones and other weapons at the Department of Defense, building out the Trump Accounts platform at the Internal Revenue Service, and using AI to improve intelligence at the State Department, among other initiatives, according to Kupor.

Throughout the two-year program, OPM plans to bring in Silicon Valley CEOs and other executives for speaker events. It will also partner with around 25 tech companies to provide mentorship and career planning advice to members of the cohort. Microsoft, Adobe, Amazon, Meta and xAI are among the companies that have signed on as partners of the program.

The program will conclude with a job fair, where program members will have access to both public- and private-sector opportunities. Salaries for members of the Tech Force are expected to range from approximately $130,000 to $195,000.

“There is an incredible race for talent in these areas … so part of what we want to do is be competitive on compensation,” Kupor said. He added that he wanted potential applicants to “understand that in doing this, they’re going to learn a bunch, they’re going to tackle really complex problems, and then they can ultimately go back to the private sector, if that’s what they want to do, and certainly will have the opportunity to maximize their financial opportunity as a result.”

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