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Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has reportedly assigned a University of Chicago undergraduate student to lead an artificial intelligence-driven review of U.S. housing regulations at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Economics and data science student Christopher Sweet joined HUD as a special assistant under DOGE, according to internal communications reports reviewed by WIRED magazine, which also confirmed with the University of Chicago that Sweet is currently “on leave from the undergraduate college.”
Unconventional appointment inside HUD
DOGE staffer Scott Langmack introduced Sweet to HUD staff earlier this month via an internal email.
“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 experience in government. According to internal sources, his main task is to lead an effort using AI to evaluate HUD’s regulations, compare them to the laws they are based on, and identify opportunities to remove or relax them.
Sources told WIRED that Sweet is focused on regulations related to the Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and has been granted read access to internal systems, including the Public and Indian Housing Information Center and HUD’s enterprise income verification platform.
As part of the project, Sweet generated a spreadsheet with around 1,000 entries. The AI tool identified possible instances of regulatory “overreach” and suggested alternative language. PIH staff have been asked to review the AI’s suggestions and provide justifications for any objections.
Linked to a broader government strategy
The initiative appears to reflect goals outlined in Project 2025, a conservative policy framework that has influenced the early actions of the Trump administration’s second term. The document calls for federal deregulation in such areas as the “environment, food and drug enforcement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.”
Sources say the AI tool used in the HUD review is being refined to expand its use across other federal agencies.
Sweet’s background and digital footprint
Sweet’s public background is limited. According to a biography on the website of East Edge Securities — an investment firm he co-founded with two other students — he has previously worked with private equity firms including Pertento Partners and Nexus Point Capital. He is also listed as a board member of a student-run hedge fund.
WIRED notes that Sweet also maintained a GitHub account where he created a tool to analyze federal regulations. The tool was last updated in March 2025, shortly before he arrived at HUD. A connected Substack account has no published content.
Neither HUD nor DOGE has publicly commented on Sweet’s appointment. Sweet did not respond to media requests, and investment firms linked to him via online biographies declined to comment.