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The federal government is on the brink of a significant transformation, as it grapples with the challenges of an antiquated human capital system and the need for modernization.

For years, experts have been pointing out the flaws in the federal government's human capital system, with two National Academy of Public Administration panels concluding seven years ago that the system is fundamentally broken. Now, the government is faced with the task of addressing this issue to ensure it has the necessary talent to meet the demands of the 21st century.

One of the key areas of focus is the hiring and performance management system. The current administration's executive order aims to reduce the time to hire a new federal employee to 80 days, a marked improvement over the current average of 119 days, more than three times as long as in the private sector. However, the premier private sector organization, the Society for Human Resources Management, concludes that performance reviews generally do not work, suggesting that a more effective approach may be needed.

Another crucial aspect of the government's modernization efforts is learning from the private sector's approach to performance management. By adopting best practices from the private sector, the government could potentially improve its own system and ensure that it is able to attract and retain top talent.

In addition to modernizing its human capital system, the government is also looking to leverage technology to address issues like waste, fraud, and abuse. Elon Musk's expertise in AI could be utilized to identify and prevent fraud in government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and unemployment insurance.

The government is also focusing on building bridges across agencies, levels of government, and sectors of society to solve complex problems, rather than an agency-centered approach. This collaborative approach is key to tackling the challenges facing the government and ensuring that it is able to deliver on the needs of the American people.

As the Trump administration implements its reforms and ushers in a new era of government, there is a sense of optimism that this new generation of bridge-builders will contribute to establishing a more effective and efficient government structure. With significant private investments in AI infrastructure, including a $500 billion project called Stargate starting in Texas, the suspension of some previous regulations, and sweeping personnel changes such as selective dismissals in federal agencies to reshape governance and policy execution, this new government phase is marked by energetic infrastructural and organizational shifts aimed at modernization and innovation.

However, it is important to remember that the administration's efforts to reduce government employment, cut government spending, and slash government programs won't solve the real problems of the U.S. government. Rather, the focus should be on addressing the talent mismatch issue caused by mass terminations and hirings, and on creating a new generation of "bridgebuilders" to tackle complex problems effectively.

On the day after, people will expect their government to work, and possibly even better than before. With the right approach and a focus on modernization and collaboration, the federal government may finally be able to meet the needs of the American people and deliver on its promises.