​​In a year defined by acceleration and transformation, 2025 will be remembered across the federal government as the start of artificial intelligence moving from pilot projects to production reality. Agencies are no longer debating whether to use AI; the conversation has shifted decisively to how to deploy it safely, effectively, responsibly, and at scale. On the most recent episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, host, Lucas Hunsicker, spoke with Steve Boone, Director of Product Marketing at Checkmarx, about what this reframing has meant for government IT teams and what it signals as we move through 2026 and beyond.

​As federal agencies continue to invest in, and deploy, AI solutions, the physical infrastructure needed to support mission-enabling use cases is top of mind for agency leaders. But the way these solutions will be acquired, implemented, and used significantly impacts the design of AI systems. Trust, security, and procurement all play a role in the value agencies get from AI and therefore must be considered from the onset.

​In part one of our podcast series, Michael Montgomery, President of Chenega Architecture and Design Solutions, explained how federal agencies can power and cool the systems enabling AI use cases and capabilities. In today’s episode of the Government Technology Insider podcast, we take a deeper dive into the operational challenges agencies need to keep in mind as they invest in AI.

​The increasing presence of AI in federal buildings is reshaping how the federal government works. From predictive AI that solves previously intractable challenges, enables digital twinning, and supports decision-advantage and operational superiority on the battlefield to generative AI that enables vital service delivery improvements, AI is the focus of federal agency investments.

​While there is little doubt about the value that AI can deliver to federal agencies, there are some very practical obstacles standing in the way. Before they can reap the benefits, agencies must confront the challenges of powering the vast AI infrastructures they are building and cooling the racks of servers that form the backbone of an AI-powered federal government.

​In this two-part series on the Government Technology Insider Podcast, we invited Michael Montgomery, President of Chenega Architecture and Design Solutions, to discuss how federal facilities managers and their teams are addressing these mission-critical challenges, as well as the ubiquitous power and cooling issues that agencies will encounter as they move into the AI age.