August 11, 2026
This summer, Netskope sponsored an event called “Federal AI in the Fast Lane” at Bobby Van’s Grill in Washington, DC. Seemed like an opportunity to get an audio crew talk and with a couple of federal leaders to get their insights on AI.
Everyone has read about how much productivity AI can have for federal applications. That allure can lead you into a situation where you may not be as prudent as you should be.
Today, we sat down with Steve Riley, VP and Field CTO of Netskope and Jamie Holcomb, COO of Electrosoft to better understand how to balance the promise of AI with practical application in the federal government.
Steve Riley has looked at federal technology projects, and he thinks that the government must get out of their pilots and into operations, measuring results and impact that is meaningful to the taxpayer.
They highlight the rapid advancements in AI, noting that government agencies struggle to keep pace with commercial innovation.
Riley thinks agents are great for gathering, assimilating, and assessing information. It is probably not time for them to have independent agency.
A survey reveals that 78% of federal leaders believe AI tools should be managed like users or devices within zero trust frameworks. Only 31% of federal IT leaders have high visibility into public AI tools.
Because of Jamie Holcomb’s experience at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, he thinks success comes down to action, not architecture. From his view, agencies need timely intelligence connected directly to operational decisions.
The conversation emphasizes the need for federal agencies to balance innovation with security, particularly in predictive AI and zero trust strategies, and to prioritize AI discovery and integration.
