The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, Defense Digital Service and ADVANA or the Office of Advancing Analytics will stop operating as independent organizations as they become part of the newly established office of the chief digital and artificial intelligence officer within the Department of Defense starting June 1, Breaking Defense reported Tuesday.
CDR Sarah Flaherty, spokesperson for the CDAO, told the publication the CDAO office reached initial operating capability on Feb. 1 and will achieve full operating capability in June.
FedScoop reported that Diane Staheli, an AI ethics and research expert, was named head of the responsible AI division within the office of CDAO. In this capacity, she will help develop and implement practices, policies, metrics and standards for procuring and building accountable and trustworthy AI.
Staheli previously worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where she led efforts focused on human-centered AI.
DOD made recent appointments at the newly established office. In late April, Craig Martell, formerly head of machine learning at Lyft, was named CDAO weeks after the appointment of Sharothi Pikar as deputy CDAO for acquisitions. In March, Margaret Palmieri, founder and former director of the Navy’s digital warfare office, was appointed deputy CDAO.
In February, the Pentagon established the CDAO office to bring AI and digital strategy and policy development to senior DOD leadership and appointed John Sherman, chief information officer of DOD and a 2022 Wash100 Award recipient, as acting CDAO.
