OPM Debuts AI Tool to Cut Hiring Paperwork; FDA Launches Updated AI Tool

Agencies are encouraged to use a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool to help create position descriptions for job openings.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced “USA Class”– an AI hiring tool that will be available to all agencies through USA Staffing, free of charge. 

USA Class uses AI to help managers generate and fine-tune job descriptions and align job duties with OPM classification standards. 

OPM said the tool will help reduce time-to-hire and administrative work for HR employees.

“We are using AI to streamline the tasks for which computers are very capable and free up time for HR professionals and hiring managers to focus on the people-facing aspects of recruiting and assessing candidates,” said OPM Director Scott Kupor in a blog post. 

The new AI software has been fed thousands of prior position descriptions. It will give hiring managers the option of creating a position description based on an existing one or creating a brand new one from scratch. Managers can also add input on skills needed, responsibilities, and other qualifications. 

Federal hiring experts tell Federal News Network the tool holds potential, given the confusion and duplication that sometimes comes with writing federal job descriptions. 

“If OPM rolls it out the way that they’re talking about, and have it be a free part of USA Staffing, I expect that will be a pretty easy sell,” an industry expert told Federal News Network. “But we haven’t seen the user interface or how well it works. If it’s really clunky, that could frustrate users. I would rather assume that they’re going to do a good job, but the proof is in the pudding.”

FDA Launches New Version of AI Tool

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration launched a new version of its AI tool, which is available to all FDA staff. 

The FDA launched Elsa 4.0, calling it a “significant upgrade."

“Elsa’s new capabilities once again position FDA as a leader in deploying AI tools that empower staff,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Removing tedious burdens for staff enables them to focus more on science and makes their work streams more efficient and enjoyable.”

Improvements include document generation, conversion of scanned documents into searchable text, better search capability, and other features. 

It’s also integrating a new data platform called Harmonized AI and Lifecycle Operations for Data (HALO) into Elsa.

The FDA first deployed Elsa in June 2025 and claims that 80 percent of the FDA workforce is using AI in their job. 

One of the goals is to speed up the scientific review and evaluation process.