The Federal Acquisition Institute, a career development resource housed within the General Services Administration, recently released a credential focused on artificial intelligence prompt engineering.
The credential is more evidence that federal interest in purchasing AI technology continues to grow. The tool is specifically designed to help government acquisition staff evaluate large language models, the type of technology built by OpenAI and Anthropic.
“The Federal Acquisition Institute recently launched an AI Prompt Engineering Credential to the federal acquisition workforce, which has quickly become a popular resource,“ a spokesperson for GSA told FedScoop.
They continued: “The AI Prompt Engineering Credential is designed to equip employees with essential skills in using large language models and focuses on practical techniques for prompt crafting, AI optimization, and adherence to ethical standards.”
A document related to the credential notes that it was launched in late September. The summary states that the training program is supposed to help federal workers streamline the acquisition decision-making process in regard to large language models. One course specifically focuses on prompt engineering for ChatGPT.
The GSA spokesperson said the agency has no plans to release additional AI credentials, but will continue to analyze trends.
The federal government is continuing to focus on making investments in the AI capabilities with the government workforce. The Office of Personnel Management now runs a version of its jobs site specification focused on artificial intelligence, for instance, and GSA is also offering an AI training series. Still, talent remains a major challenge as federal agencies focus on hitting their goals with the technology.
Written by Rebecca Heilweil
Rebecca Heilweil is an investigative reporter for FedScoop. She writes about the intersection of government, tech policy, and emerging technologies.
Previously she was a reporter at Vox’s tech site, Recode. She’s also written for Slate, Wired, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications.
You can reach her at rebecca.heilweil@fedscoop.com. Message her if you’d like to chat on Signal.
