Federal spending · FY2023
General Government
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General Government encompasses a broad range of administrative, support, and oversight functions that underpin the operations of the entire federal apparatus. Its primary purpose is to ensure the efficient, effective, and accountable functioning of government itself, providing the essential infrastructure, policy frameworks, and administrative services necessary for other departments and agencies to execute their missions. Success is defined by the government's ability to operate smoothly, manage its resources prudently, maintain public trust through transparency and accountability, and adapt to evolving policy and technological landscapes. Key components include financial management and reporting, human capital management, information technology infrastructure, procurement processes, and internal oversight mechanisms. Agencies like the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) play central roles in stewarding these functions, ensuring that federal operations are conducted with integrity and in service of the public interest.
The problem
The "stable" status for General Government, despite a substantial 73.9% downward trend in outlays to $563.5B in FY2023, warrants careful consideration of its underlying drivers and future implications. This significant reduction is primarily attributed to the winding down of pandemic-related emergency spending and, to a lesser extent, shifts in administrative or operational expenditures. While a decrease in spending is generally positive, the magnitude of the decline suggests a need to audit the sustainability of this reduction and ensure that essential government functions are not underfunded. A key concern is whether the reduction reflects genuine efficiency gains or a deferral of necessary investments in government infrastructure, technology, or personnel. Without clear evidence of improved operational efficiency or a strategic reprioritization, such a sharp decline could indicate a reduction in service delivery capacity or an increased reliance on aging systems that may require more costly remediation in the future. The audit must therefore focus on distinguishing between prudent fiscal management and potential underinvestment that could lead to future fiscal pressures or operational failures.
The solution
To ensure the long-term fiscal health and operational effectiveness of General Government functions, AI should be strategically deployed to enhance efficiency and foresight, moving beyond simple expenditure tracking. A domain-specific AI application could focus on developing predictive models for government operational demand and resource requirements across various administrative functions. This would involve analyzing historical expenditure patterns, service delivery metrics, and demographic trends to forecast future needs for personnel, technology, and infrastructure, thereby enabling proactive resource allocation rather than reactive budget adjustments. Furthermore, AI can be utilized to identify and model interdependencies between different administrative agencies and functions, highlighting potential areas for shared services, process standardization, or consolidation. This would allow for the simulation of various administrative reform scenarios, assessing their impact on efficiency, cost, and service quality, thereby supporting evidence-based decision-making for optimizing the structure and delivery of government operations and ensuring that reductions in spending are strategically aligned with long-term operational capacity.
The biggest part of General Government is Central fiscal operations: $457.3B (81.2%). Just 2 of the 7 areas below hold 90.3% of the money.
How to read it: Tap a row to open what's inside. Colours match the chart above, and each row's share is its part of the row it sits under.
| Where it went | Gross outlays | Share | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| $457.3B81.2% | 81.2% | ||
| $51.3B9.1% | 9.1% | ||
| $38.4B6.8% | 6.8% | ||
| $12.2B2.2% | 2.2% | ||
| $2.8B0.5% | 0.5% | ||
| $831M0.1% | 0.1% | ||
| $658M0.1% | 0.1% |