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Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly assigned a University of Chicago undergraduate scholar to steer a synthetic intelligence-driven assessment of U.S. housing laws on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Economics and knowledge science scholar Christopher Sweet joined HUD as a particular assistant underneath DOGE, in keeping with inner communications reviews reviewed by WIRED journal, which additionally confirmed with the University of Chicago that Sweet is at the moment “on leave from the undergraduate college.”
Unconventional appointment inside HUD
DOGE staffer Scott Langmack launched Sweet to HUD workers earlier this month by way of an inner e-mail.
“I’d like to share with you that Chris Sweet has joined the HUD DOGE team with the title of special assistant, although a better title might be ‘AI computer programming quant analyst,’” Langmack wrote. “With family roots from Brazil, Chris speaks Portuguese fluently. Please join me in welcoming Chris to HUD!”
Sweet reportedly has no prior expertise in authorities. According to inner sources, his principal job is to steer an effort utilizing AI to guage HUD’s laws, examine them to the legal guidelines they’re based mostly on, and determine alternatives to take away or loosen up them.
Sources informed WIRED that Sweet is targeted on laws associated to the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and has been granted learn entry to inner methods, together with the Public and Indian Housing Information Center and HUD’s enterprise revenue verification platform.
As a part of the challenge, Sweet generated a spreadsheet with round 1,000 entries. The AI device recognized attainable situations of regulatory “overreach” and instructed different language. PIH workers have been requested to assessment the AI’s recommendations and supply justifications for any objections.
Linked to a broader authorities technique
The initiative seems to replicate targets outlined in Project 2025, a conservative coverage framework that has influenced the early actions of the Trump administration’s second time period. The doc requires federal deregulation in such areas because the “environment, food and drug enforcement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.”
Sources say the AI device used within the HUD assessment is being refined to increase its use throughout different federal businesses.
Sweet’s background and digital footprint
Sweet’s public background is proscribed. According to a biography on the web site of East Edge Securities — an funding agency he co-founded with two different college students — he has beforehand labored with personal fairness corporations together with Pertento Partners and Nexus Point Capital. He can also be listed as a board member of a student-run hedge fund.
WIRED notes that Sweet additionally maintained a GitHub account the place he created a device to investigate federal laws. The device was final up to date in March 2025, shortly earlier than he arrived at HUD. A linked Substack account has no revealed content material.
Neither HUD nor DOGE has publicly commented on Sweet’s appointment. Sweet didn’t reply to media requests, and funding corporations linked to him by way of on-line biographies declined to remark.
