A novice in the realm of government work, a young adult engaged in undergraduate studies, has been engaged by billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Entrusted with the role of leveraging artificial intelligence for revising bureaucratic procedures and rules, he is named Christopher Sweet. His roots trace back to San Francisco, and he was amidst his third academic year at the University of Chicago, focusing on economics and data science, prior to his involvement with HUD.
Considering the monumental task at hand, Sweet is expected to employ advanced AI algorithms to scrutinize HUD’s existing regulations, contrast them against the backing laws, and pinpoint areas with room for moderation or complete eradication. This grand-scale venture intends to streamline government operations by rolling back potentially redundant rules, replicating strategies outlined in the Project 2025 policy document. This master plan paved the way for considerable deregulation in areas like environment, food and drug enforcement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies during the first 100 days of the Trump administration.
Amongst the variety of regulations on his agenda, Sweet has prioritized issues related to the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH). The AI-powered tool at his disposal is designed to highlight instances where HUD’s rules might seem to go beyond their actual scope of enforcement. It then derives alternative language suggestions to replace these instances of ‘overreach’.
The initial output of this sophisticated AI system includes an extensive spreadsheet analysis consisting of roughly a thousand rows containing policy areas up for reconsideration. Staff affiliated with PIH are delegated the responsibility of scrutinizing these suggested revisions. The process entails assessing the system’s recommendations and providing justification for any disagreement therein. Once the commented revision completes its cycle with the PIH team, they are forwarded to the Office of the General Counsel, which administers the final approval.
An inside source conveyed that the employed AI model has a greater role than meets the eye. It is stated that the model is incessantly fine-tuned based on lessons learnt here so it can be subsequently expanded across government agencies. WIRED procured an instance of such an AI reviewed output regarding one department within HUD. The document presents elements needing modifications as identified by the AI and further embeds the AI’s suggested revisions, effectively proposing complete rewordings.
The comprehensive spreadsheet reveals a vast scenario within the administrative apparatus. It displays potential word cuts in individual regulations and even comprises an index that daily rates the non-compliance of these regulations. In essence, it provides a panoramic insight into the system, shedding light on the areas ripe for optimization.
Christopher Sweet’s enlistment with DOGE remains an enigma. Although, recent activities on his public GitHub account suggest that he did exhibit an interest in this area prior to his DOGE affiliation. Under the alias ‘CLSweet’, his GitHub account reflects an application designed to monitor and assess regulatory practices across federal government agencies.
The federal regulation tracking application traces its latest major update to March 2025, not too long before Sweet stepped into his role at HUD. This application serves as an investigative tool by illustrating the distribution and impact of regulatory burden across various public departments. All indications suggest that Sweet was already knee-deep into unraveling complexities of the regulatory landscape before embarking on this bold assignment.
Not everyone on the inside champions this endeavour, however. Upon hearing of Sweet’s ambitious role, one source labeled it as futile for it overlaps with established processes under the Administrative Procedure Act. The Act has a comprehensive blueprint for regulation establishment within agencies and extends judicial oversight on agency conduct. Indeed, the agency’s rules have always undergone an extensive process involving multiple stakeholders prior before their sanctioning.
Another insider voiced concern regarding the anomaly of Sweet’s position, pointing out a drastic mismatch between his title and responsibilities. The individual remarked on the stark contrast between a coder and a quantitative data analyst, implying that these roles need starkly different competencies.
Despite his significant position, Christopher Sweet doesn’t possess a sizeable digital presence. One of the scarce associations linked to him online is a brief profile posted on East Edge Securities’ web platform. Co-founded by Sweet in 2023 alongside two other University of Chicago pupils, this investment firm touts that Sweet has previously served within multiple private equity enterprises.
The meticulous endeavour launched by Musk’s DOGE and its adventures within HUD prompts several questions as to how such an audacious reform attempt will reshape the landscape of US governance. Will the injection of seemingly fresh and tech-intensive perspectives prove beneficial or alter the terrain in unanticipated ways?
Moreover, the purported AI model’s potential spread across government departments brings up the point of machine accuracy and bias. While AI may have proven its worth in several applications, it’s still a matter of debate whether it could impeccably navigate the intricate maze of regulations without favoring one course over another involuntarily.
Also, given Christopher Sweet’s negligible experience within governmental affairs, one can only speculate how he will successfully steer this massive undertaking. The worlds of tech and regulation often appear at odds, especially as data science and AI make their way into a domain known for its traditional bureaucratic pathways.
All in all, this story portrays an intriguing paradigm shift where technology, represented by AI, is colliding head-on with bureaucracy, hinting at the dawn of an era where tech-driven transparency and efficiency could become the new norm, and the role of individuals like Christopher Sweet might become mainstream.