The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report titled "Immersive Technologies: Most Civilian Agencies Are Using or Plan to Use Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and More" (GAO-24-106665), published in August 2024, examines the adoption and utilization of immersive technologies—such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)—across federal civilian agencies.
Key Findings:
Current Usage: Out of 23 surveyed civilian agencies, 17 reported engaging in activities involving immersive technologies during fiscal years 2022 and 2023. These technologies were primarily employed for workforce training and public outreach. For instance, the Department of Homeland Security utilized simulators and other immersive tools to train nearly 10,000 employees in areas like law enforcement and emergency response. Similarly, the Department of Veterans Affairs applied VR in clinical settings to support mental health treatment and physical rehabilitation.
Reported Benefits: Agencies identified several advantages of using immersive technologies, including enhanced understanding of data, increased safety, and improved decision-making processes.
Future Plans: Sixteen agencies indicated intentions to expand their use of immersive technologies between fiscal years 2024 and 2028. Planned applications encompass data visualization, design and planning, public outreach, and remote collaboration. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration plans to employ these technologies to demonstrate new architectural designs and concepts.
Challenges: Agencies reported facing obstacles such as meeting cybersecurity and privacy requirements, as well as managing high operation and maintenance costs. Those not planning to adopt or expand the use of immersive technologies cited cybersecurity concerns as a primary barrier.
The GAO's analysis underscores the growing integration of immersive technologies within federal civilian agencies, highlighting both the potential benefits and the challenges that accompany their adoption.
