The Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is using artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor conversations between government employees, Reuters reported on the 8th. According to multiple sources familiar with the matter, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees were informed by newly appointed staffers in the Trump administration that Musk’s team was utilizing AI to monitor discussions among employees, searching for any hostile comments directed at President Trump or Musk.
Staffers reportedly warned EPA employees that DOGE was using AI to monitor various apps and programs, including Microsoft Teams, a collaboration tool used by government employees in their daily work. One source told Reuters, “We’ve heard they’re looking for anti-Trump or anti-Musk rhetoric.” This development came amidst significant layoffs and budget cuts at the EPA since President Trump’s administration took office, which saw the agency laying off about 600 employees and slashing its budget by 65%.
The EPA responded to the report, stating it was “looking at AI to optimize the agency’s functions and administrative efficiency,” but emphasized that it was not using AI for “personnel decisions in consultation with DOGE.” However, the agency did not directly address whether AI was being used to monitor employee conversations.
Meanwhile, reports have also emerged suggesting that Musk’s DOGE team communicates via the private chat app “Signal.” This app has recently stirred controversy due to its use by a senior Trump administration security official in the leaking of military secrets. Signal’s structure, where conversations disappear after a set period, has raised concerns about potential violations of U.S. federal record preservation laws. A source familiar with the matter noted that DOGE’s use of Signal could undermine government transparency.
Additionally, it was revealed that DOGE used Grok, an AI chatbot developed by Musk, extensively during the process of mass layoffs of federal government employees. These actions have raised questions about the role of AI and private communications in federal government operations.
The White House, DOGE, and Musk have not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment on the situation. Critics, including Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert at the University of Washington, have voiced concerns about the potential abuse of power. Clark stated that the use of AI to monitor employees and suppress unfavourable comments could represent a “block or suppression of words or actions that the president does not like.” This raises significant ethical issues, particularly regarding the potential for the information gathered to be used for personal or political gain.