Carahsoft Looks Ahead: Navigating the Future of Robotics, Autonomy and AI in 2025

February 3, 2025 | Dawn Zoldi

As we step into 2025, the pace of adoption of autonomous systems, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), especially in government markets, continues at an unprecedented pace. To gain insights into the opportunities and potential challenges that lie ahead, we sat down with Lacey Wean, an industry expert from Carahsoft, to discuss the future of these transformative technologies. 

2024 Highlights in Fed Gov Tech 

Dawn Zoldi: Lacey, looking back at 2024, we saw significant shifts in how federal agencies approached innovation, especially AI and cloud solutions. What would you say were the highlights? 

Lacey Wean: 2024 was indeed a transformative year for developments in government innovation. We saw several game-changing executive orders on automation with a shift toward cloud-native solutions. These directives have accelerated the adoption of modern technologies across federal agencies. As a result, we’re seeing a much more concerted effort to move away from legacy systems and embrace cloud-native architectures that offer greater flexibility, scalability and security. 

On the AI front, agencies seem to be embracing it, not just for efficiency gains, but for truly impressive use cases. For instance, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made significant strides in leveraging cloud and AI for weather forecasting. Their chief stated that these technologies are “fundamentally changing” their ability to predict weather patterns. This is just one example of how AI is being used to enhance mission-critical functions across government. 

Finally, we’ve seen a strong focus on security, as the government transitions to more secure cloud environments. The FedRAMP Agile Delivery Pilot is a great example of how agencies are working to streamline the adoption of secure cloud services. This initiative enables agencies to capitalize on agile development practices, particularly for AI applications in the cloud. 

Anticipated 2025 Gov Tech Trends 

Dawn Zoldi: It seems like 2024 provided a strong foundation for further innovation in 2025. How do you see these trends evolving in the coming year? 

Lacey Wean: I believe 2025 will be a year of accelerated adoption and integration of these technologies. We’re likely to see more agencies moving beyond pilot programs and experimentation with AI and cloud solutions toward full-scale implementations. One area I’m particularly excited about is the potential for multimodal AI in government operations. This technology, which can process and analyze information from multiple sources like text, images and video simultaneously, has enormous potential to enhance decision-making processes in areas like national security, disaster response and public service delivery. 

We’re also likely to see a greater emphasis on AI agents and automation to streamline back-office processes and improve constituent services. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s AI-powered search system is a great example of how these technologies can significantly enhance efficiency and accuracy in government operations. 

Again, with this rapid adoption comes the need for robust security measures and public trust-building efforts. We expect to see agencies investing heavily in AI-driven cybersecurity solutions to protect against increasingly sophisticated threats. At the same time, there will be a strong focus on transparency and responsible AI development to address public concerns about privacy and bias. 

Legislative Updates on Autonomy and Robots 

Dawn Zoldi: As we look ahead to 2025, what legislative updates should we expect that could impact the autonomous systems and robotics sectors in the public sector? 

Lacey Wean: There are several key legislative developments we should keep an eye on for 2025. Let’s break them down into different areas and start with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The FY 2025 NDAA really underscores Congress’s recognition of the critical role that uncrewed systems, robotics and autonomous technologies play in national defense. There are several key provisions to note. 

We’re seeing increased funding. Congress enhanced budgets for programs such as the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and autonomy engineering for the Next Generation Combat Vehicle. This shows a clear commitment to advancing these technologies. 

There’s also a strong focus on the integration of autonomous technologies. We’re seeing efforts to transition commercial hybrid and electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and autonomy technologies into active military service. This is a significant step forward in modernizing defense capabilities. 

Supply chain security remains a major concern. The NDAA includes provisions for developing a supply chain risk framework to boost domestic manufacturing capacity for critical components in uncrewed systems. This will be crucial to ensure the resilience and security of our autonomous systems. 

Lastly, there are initiatives addressing Counter-Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) measures. These are aimed at addressing threats posed by small UAS to U.S. forces and bases, which has become an increasingly important aspect of defense strategy. 

Federal AI Recommendations 

Dawn Zoldi: Shifting gears to AI policy, what can you tell us about the various federal AI recommendations and how they might shape future efforts? 

Lacey Wean: The House AI Task Force released its bipartisan report with recommendations that focused on three main areas. 

First, they advocated for sector-specific regulations. This means tailoring AI regulations to specific industries to effectively address unique challenges and risks. It’s a more nuanced approach that recognizes the diverse applications of AI across different sectors. 

Second, they recommended an incremental approach to AI policy development. This will involve adopting a step-by-step approach to AI legislation which allows for adaptability as the technology evolves. It’s a pragmatic strategy that acknowledges the rapid pace of AI advancement. 

Third, there was a strong emphasis on ethical AI. The task force pushed for ensuring AI systems are developed and deployed ethically, with a focus on fairness, accountability and transparency. This aligns with growing public concerns about the ethical implications of AI. 

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) also issued guidance to federal agencies that’s likely to have a significant impact on AI. In it, there’s a strong focus on AI governance and risk management. Federal agencies are being directed to implement robust governance structures and risk management practices for AI technologies. This is crucial for ensuring responsible AI use across the government. 

The OMB guidance also promotes interagency collaboration. The OMB is encouraging coordination among agencies to ensure a unified approach to AI use across the federal government. This should help streamline AI adoption and reduce redundancies. 

Finally, OMB emphasized public communication and the importance of enhancing transparency with the public regarding AI applications and their impacts. This aligns with broader efforts to build public trust in government use of AI. 

State AI Legislative Trends 

Dawn Zoldi: We’re also seeing a lot of activity at the state level. What trends are emerging in state-level AI legislation? 

Lacey Wean: You’re right, Dawn. State governments are becoming increasingly active in AI regulation. In fact, over 150 bills related to government use of AI were considered in 2024. Within these, we’re seeing several emerging trends.  

One major trend is the implementation of AI inventories and impact assessments. Many states have mandated state agencies to maintain inventories of AI systems and conduct impact assessments to evaluate potential risks and benefits. This promotes transparency and accountability in AI use. 

Another trend is the establishment of oversight mechanisms and guiding principles. States continue working to ensure responsible AI use within their agencies by setting up these governance structures. 

We’re also seeing a rise in pilot projects. Many states are launching programs to explore AI applications in public services, aiming to enhance efficiency and decision-making. These projects are crucial for understanding the practical implications of AI in government operations. 

Autonomy Challenges: Regulatory, Security and Ethical 

Dawn Zoldi: Lacey, as we look ahead to 2025, what are some key regulatory challenges facing the autonomous systems industry? 

Lacey Wean: The regulatory landscape and legislation are certainly evolving. There are numerous ongoing efforts at both federal and state levels, which will impact technology companies, such as state of origin bans on drones, which may cause difficulties. 

As a technology provider, it’s crucial to have the expectation that some of these regulatory things may change. The hope is that they will continue to evolve in a positive way. However, as we work through that in the new year, some of this may bring complications and challenges that we may be unfamiliar with today. 

The global nature of these regulations adds another layer of complexity. Companies operating internationally must navigate potentially misaligned standards across different countries and regions. This global regulatory landscape makes it particularly challenging for businesses looking to expand their operations beyond national borders. 

Dawn Zoldi: What about security risks shaping the development of autonomous systems? 

Lacey Wean: Security and cyber risks are definitely going to be a top priority for 2025. As we’ve seen in the last couple of years, it’s continuing to become even more of a priority as we focus on security and cyber risks. All these autonomous systems, especially those in the defense and critical infrastructure space, are primary targets for attacks. It’s critically important to secure these AI algorithms as well as the hardware platforms that acquire data to keep it protected and secure. This will require constant innovation to effectively do that.  

This also ties back to supply chain security, which I think has become increasingly important to ensure the integrity of components used in these autonomous systems and robotic devices. Whether that’s semiconductors or sensors, all of these things remain critical items as concerns over foreign dependencies increase. 

Dawn Zoldi: Can you walk us through some of the ethical and bias concerns arising from these systems? 

Lacey Wean: There’s definitely a concern about algorithmic bias. The risk of biased decision-making by AI-driven autonomous systems remains a pressing issue, particularly in areas like law enforcement, healthcare and defense.  

Then there’s the matters of transparency and accountability. Being able to actually determine liability in cases of autonomous system failures or accidents is going to continue to be a legal gray area. I think we’ll see more focus on that in 2025 too. 

Budgets, Programs and Contracts 

Dawn Zoldi: How might budgets affect autonomous technology implementation? 

Lacey Wean: There could be some budget constraints as we see some shifts in the economy and shifting national priorities. This could limit the funding for some of these autonomous projects, specifically in the non-defense sectors. On the other hand, autonomous technologies are increasingly viewed as strategic assets and becoming a more important part of the mission. 

Dawn Zoldi: Can you discuss the DoD’s focus on uncrewed systems, particularly in light of programs like the CHS-6 contract? 

Lacey Wean: I’m glad you brought up the CHS-6 contract. If anyone’s not familiar with that, it’s the Common Hardware Systems contract. It’s primed by Leidos, and Carahsoft is one of their distribution partners on that contract. It’s a funded contract that provides hardware technology of various types across the DoD. This new iteration of the contract that was awarded last year includes drone technology within the scope of that contract. It’s primarily led by the Army, but there are other DoD agencies that are able to use it as well.  And I can’t mention other contracts at this point, but we’re starting to see a trend where drones are included in new iterations of other procurement vehicles and big programs as well. 

Carahsoft Staying One Step Ahead 

Dawn Zoldi: It sounds like 2025 will be an exciting year for government technology. How is Carahsoft positioning itself to support these advancements? 

Lacey Wean: At Carahsoft, we’re committed to being at the forefront of these technological advancements. We’re continuously expanding our portfolio of AI and cloud solutions to meet the evolving needs of government agencies. Our focus is on providing not just the technology, but also the expertise and support needed to implement these solutions effectively and securely. 

We’re also investing heavily in education and training initiatives. Upskilling the government workforce is crucial for the successful adoption of these technologies. So, we’re working closely with our technology partners to provide comprehensive training programs that help government employees understand and leverage these new tools effectively. 

Additionally, we’re doubling down on our efforts to facilitate collaboration between government agencies and innovative technology providers. Our goal is to create an ecosystem where cutting-edge solutions can be rapidly developed, tested and deployed to address the unique challenges faced by the public sector. 

Dawn Zoldi: As we wrap up, what’s next for you and Carahsoft in 2025? 

Lacey Wean: You can find us in lots of places. I always invite anyone to come visit us out in Reston, but we attend a number of events across the country, from geospatial focused shows to cyber, AI, IT, space, law enforcement and the major law enforcement and public safety events. We’ll also be at a number of drone-focused events like AUVSI XPONENTIAL. It’s going to be a great year! Thanks for hosting us on the Dawn of Autonomy 2025. It’s been an exciting and fun way to start the year!