(Pentagon graphic by Breaking Defense; computer code image by Sabrina Gelbart via Pexels)
WASHINGTON: The Pentagon’s new central hub dedicated to overseeing its data and artificial intelligence efforts has reached initial operating capability, a key milestone for the department as it works toward becoming a digital and AI-enabled enterprise — a mission it’ll take on with a half-billion-dollar budget.
The Office of the Chief Digital and AI Officer (CDAO) will be responsible for scaling up data, analytics and AI to enable faster and better decision-making “from campaigning to conflict,” according to a senior defense official. The office reached IOC Tuesday, the official told reporters today at a roundtable organized by the Pentagon.
The office will be responsible for three main efforts: leading the department’s strategy and policy on data, analytics and AI adoption, including crafting an integrated data, analytics and AI strategy; enabling the development of digital and AI-enabled solutions across the department; and providing a “sophisticated cadre of technical experts” that will serve as a digital response force to address urgent and emerging challenges.
The new outfit has a budget of roughly $500 million and will include anywhere from 200 to 300 people across the different components, according to the official.
“The CDAO is going to perform these functions in close collaboration with the military services, joint staff, CIO, our research and engineering undersecretary and other digital leaders,” the official said. “The CDAO will also need to work closely with industry, interagency and our international mission partner.”
The official added the office’s efforts to enhance AI adoption will be improved once based on a solid foundation of data analytics. The CDAO will assume responsibility for DoD’s advancing analytics platform, Advana, and other enterprise-wide platforms to create a “data-as-a-service” model that can identify authoritative data sources and incorporate them in a standardized way.
The Pentagon, when it announced the creation of the CDAO role last December, said the Joint Artificial Intelligence Officer, Chief Data Officer and Defense Digital Service will all report directly to the CDAO, who will report to Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks. (Breaking Defense first reported the move in November.)
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In addition to the JAIC, CDO and DDS, the offices of the under secretaries for research and engineering, acquisition and sustainment, policy, comptroller/chief financial officer and personnel and readiness will all play a role in the office of the CDAO, according to a memo released today by Hicks’ office.
Hicks is tasking the CDAO to conduct a review of authorities and governance structures associated with data, analytics and AI and provide her with recommendations by May 1.
John Sherman, the Pentagon’s chief information officer, is also currently taking on the acting CDAO role as the department looks for a permanent replacement. The plan is to get someone in the role by full operational capability on June 1.
Sherman told reporters as the office gets rolling toward FOC, “CDAO being a unit team working across different disciplines, different organizations and finding opportunities to create new ways of doing business is going to be an overall deliverable during this process as well.”
