America.gov chatbot changed answers after its launch

America.gov launched on September 29 as a single conversational entry point to federal services. The order calls for plain-language answers, secure authentication and auditable authorization. The Associated Press reported that early answers to questions about the 2020 election and political claims changed within minutes, later refusing some political questions.

For builders, this is a live example of how answer policy, source selection and product settings can change what users see without a new model release. A public assistant needs a record of sources, refusal rules and changes when users treat the host institution as an authority.

Keep answer tests that cover facts, sensitive topics and refusals. Save each response, source and policy version, then alert when a high-impact answer changes. Provide a non-chat route for users who need a stable document or a human decision.