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U.S. State Department Employs AI Chatbot ‘StateChat’ to Aid Selection of Promotion Panels

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The U.S. State Department will use an AI chatbot named StateChat to assist in selecting members for its Foreign Service Selection Boards, which conduct annual reviews for promotions and personnel moves, according to a recently issued internal cable reviewed by Reuters.

StateChat, developed in-house with technology from Palantir and Microsoft, will help identify foreign service officers eligible to serve on these critical evaluation panels. However, the department clarified that the actual promotion evaluations will not be performed by AI.

The boards operate under the 1980 Foreign Service Act and are responsible for recommending career advancement of diplomats and staff, with legal mandates to ensure significant representation of women and minority groups.

StateChat has been in use since last year for tasks such as transcribing notes, drafting emails, and analyzing diplomatic communications. The cable disclosed for the first time that it would now also be applied to “perform unbiased selection” for panel membership, based on employees’ skill codes and grades. Candidates will then be screened for disciplinary or security concerns before finalizing the boards. The cable did not specifically mention measures to ensure gender or minority group representation.

The American Foreign Service Association, representing State Department employees, said it is seeking clarification on how AI-assisted selection will align with diversity and legal requirements.

The move comes amid broader expanded AI adoption in government under President Donald Trump’s administration, despite ongoing political criticism of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within federal agencies.

Palantir and Microsoft have not commented on the deployment.

Accenture Drops Global Diversity and Inclusion Goals Amid Political Shift

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Accenture has announced the decision to discontinue its global diversity and inclusion (DEI) goals following an internal evaluation that considered the evolving political environment in the U.S. According to an internal memo shared with Reuters, the company will begin phasing out the diversity targets it set in 2017 and will no longer focus on career development programs for specific demographic groups.

This move reflects the broader trend among major tech companies, such as Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon, that have also scrapped their DEI initiatives in response to changing U.S. political dynamics, particularly during Republican President Donald Trump’s tenure. Accenture’s CEO, Julie Sweet, noted that the shift aligns with new executive orders from the Trump administration and the company’s evaluation of its internal policies.

Since President Trump’s inauguration, the administration has made efforts to dismantle DEI programs within the federal government and the private sector. Accenture’s decision to end its DEI goals means that these objectives will no longer be a part of performance evaluations for employees. Additionally, the company will pause its participation in external diversity benchmarking surveys and review its external partnerships related to DEI as part of a broader refresh of its talent strategy.

Accenture’s past diversity efforts had led to significant representation, with women comprising 48% of its workforce and 30% in managing director roles, as per its most recent annual report. The company also had specific race and ethnicity diversity goals for its U.S. and UK branches, which it introduced in 2020.

Meanwhile, proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended that Apple investors vote against a proposal to remove the company’s DEI policies, reflecting a wider conversation about the role of diversity programs in major corporations.

Google Ends Diversity Hiring Targets and Reviews DEI Programs

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Google has announced the removal of its diversity-based hiring targets, marking a shift in its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. The company also revealed that it is reviewing its DEI initiatives, joining other U.S. businesses that are scaling back similar programs.

In an email to staff, Fiona Cicconi, Alphabet’s chief people officer, explained that the company’s previous “aspirational” hiring goals, set in 2020, would no longer be pursued. These goals aimed to increase representation, particularly in offices outside of California and New York. In 2020, CEO Sundar Pichai had set a target to have 30% of Google’s leadership positions filled by people from underrepresented groups by 2025. However, recent updates on this goal were not provided in Alphabet’s annual filing to the SEC, which also saw the removal of a statement that previously emphasized the company’s commitment to diversity.

Google had been at the forefront of promoting inclusive policies, particularly after the 2020 protests against racial injustice. At the time, the company faced criticism from some within its ranks, including a prominent AI leader, who criticized the diversity efforts. Despite some progress in reaching its goals, such as meeting 60% of its five-year target, Google is now shifting its focus away from setting specific diversity targets.

The move has drawn backlash from some workers and activists, including Parul Koul, president of the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), who criticized the company’s decision as a setback for progress made in the tech industry. Koul also expressed concerns over broader anti-worker trends, particularly from right-wing groups targeting DEI efforts.

In addition to its internal changes, Google is reviewing its DEI programs in light of recent U.S. court decisions and Executive Orders that have impacted federal contractors’ obligations around diversity initiatives. However, the company will maintain internal employee resource groups, such as “Trans at Google,” “Black Googler Network,” and “Disability Alliance,” which will continue to influence product and policy decisions.

This move aligns with similar actions taken by other major tech companies. Meta Platforms, for example, announced in January that it was ending its DEI programs, and Amazon also signaled a reduction in its diversity efforts.