USDA Admits DOGE Cuts Made Human Oversight of Federal AI "Untenable"

USDA IT program manager Rudolf Rojas said at FedInsider's Innovation Summit on October 21, 2026 that DOGE-driven budget and staffing cuts left the agency unable to maintain required human oversight of AI outputs under OMB M-25-21. He proposed zero-trust principles and minimal privileges for AI agents as a substitute.

• OMB M-25-21 human oversight compliance deadline passed on September 22, 2026
• Agencies reported 445 high-impact AI use cases out of 3,611 by April 2026
• USDA Inspector General found no generative AI policy and unauthorized tool use in May 2026
• Rojas proposed zero-trust monitoring and minimal privileges for AI agents instead