Business Technology News Roundup: Jun 20, 2025

The National Science  Foundation (NSF) issued a formal request for information (RFI) to gather  feedback on its list of key technology focus areas for the Directorate for  Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP). This initiative is part of  NSF’s ongoing effort to ensure that federal investments in science and  technology remain aligned with national priorities and emerging  opportunities. The current focus areas include artificial intelligence,  high-performance computing, quantum science, robotics, biotechnology,  advanced communications, data storage, cybersecurity, advanced energy, and  materials science. NSF is particularly interested in how these areas have  contributed to US leadership in technology, economic growth, and national  security, and whether new areas should be added. The feedback will inform the  TIP directorate’s investment roadmap, guiding future funding and workforce  development strategies to maintain US competitiveness in critical technology  sectors.

Tesla made headlines  by launching its highly anticipated robotaxi service in Austin, Texas,  marking a watershed moment for autonomous vehicle technology in the US. The  initial rollout is invite-only, with around 20 self-driving Model Y vehicles  operating within a defined area of Austin. Passengers can hail rides via a  Tesla app, with a flat fee of $4.20 per ride, and each vehicle is supervised  by a Tesla safety monitor in the front passenger seat. The service avoids  complex intersections, adverse weather, and is restricted to adults 18 and  older. This cautious launch comes amid evolving state regulations for  autonomous vehicles, with Texas recently passing new permit requirements for  commercial self-driving services. Tesla’s move is seen as a critical step  toward CEO Elon Musk’s vision of fully autonomous ride-hailing fleets, though  the company acknowledges it still faces significant technical and regulatory  hurdles before scaling nationwide.

The National  Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a detailed report on  its new internal-use chatbot developed for the National Cybersecurity Center  of Excellence (NCCoE). Built using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) large  language model technology, the chatbot assists NCCoE staff in discovering and  summarizing cybersecurity guidelines tailored to specific audiences and use  cases. Key features include page-number citations for traceability, robust  input validation to prevent prompt injection attacks, and deployment on a  secure Nvidia-powered infrastructure. The chatbot aims to make vast stores of  cybersecurity best practices more accessible and actionable for researchers  and policymakers. NIST is inviting public comments on the chatbot’s technical  and security aspects until August 4, 2025, with the goal of refining the tool  and potentially inspiring similar deployments across federal agencies and  industry.

A bipartisan group  of US senators—Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Tim Sheehy  (R-MT)—introduced the Medicare Transaction Fraud Prevention Act, aiming to  deploy artificial intelligence as a frontline defense against Medicare fraud,  waste, and abuse. The legislation proposes a pilot program that will use  predictive risk-scoring algorithms to scrutinize payments for durable medical  equipment and clinical diagnostic laboratory tests. Each fee-for-service  transaction will be assigned a risk score, flagging irregular claims for  human review by the Inspector General’s office. This approach is designed to  help inspectors prioritize their investigations, focusing on the transactions  most likely to be fraudulent. Importantly, participation in the pilot is  opt-in for Medicare beneficiaries, ensuring privacy and consent. With  Medicare fraud losses estimated at around $60 billion annually, this  AI-driven initiative seeks to protect taxpayer dollars, safeguard seniors’  benefits, and reinforce the integrity of the Medicare system.

The Transportation  Security Administration (TSA) is advancing its use of artificial intelligence  by integrating it into the Department of Homeland Security’s Geographic  Information Infrastructure (GII). This platform is a critical,  sensitive-but-unclassified ecosystem that enables federal, state, local,  tribal, and territorial partners to share and access mission-critical  geospatial data. TSA’s goal is to embed AI into this infrastructure to  enhance real-time threat detection, improve situational awareness, and  support rapid operational decisions at transportation hubs nationwide. By  leveraging AI, TSA aims to provide a more dynamic, low-latency operational  picture, enabling airports and commercial partners to monitor transportation  networks and respond to emerging threats more efficiently. This move is  expected to foster better coordination and interoperability across the  Homeland Security Enterprise, ultimately strengthening the nation’s ability  to mitigate risks and respond to security incidents in real time.