Artificial Intelligence Acquisitions: Agencies Should Collect and Apply Lessons Learned to Improve Future Procurements

Federal agencies are rapidly increasing their use of artificial intelligence to improve mission delivery, enhance operational efficiency, and support decision-making across government. This GAO report examines how agencies acquire AI technologies, including generative AI, machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing capabilities. Through reviews of AI acquisitions at the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and the General Services Administration, GAO identified key challenges involving technical expertise, intellectual property rights, data ownership, acquisition timelines, contract requirements, testing, and pricing. The report highlights a growing need for standardized approaches to AI procurement and stronger knowledge-sharing practices. GAO recommends that agencies systematically collect and share lessons learned from AI acquisitions to improve future procurements, reduce risk, and strengthen government-wide adoption of responsible AI technologies.