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2024

The CDAO evaluation was really about decision rights

When the Pentagon announced that its inspector general was evaluating the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office in early 2024, it was tempting to ask for a verdict: Was the new organization working?

The final report produced a more revealing answer. The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) was still operating without several foundational documents needed to make its responsibilities clear across the Department.

The problem was not a lack of ambition. CDAO had inherited data, analytics, digital services, and artificial intelligence (AI) responsibilities from four organizations. It was expected to set strategy, create policy, break adoption barriers, provide enabling services, and scale proven capabilities across one of the world's largest enterprises.

The problem was that a broad mandate does not tell thousands of people how authority should work at the boundary between organizations. Enterprise AI offices succeed or fail in those boundaries.

Exploring AI-Enabled Sensors: US Army SBIR Program Unveils Phase I and Phase II Opportunities

US Army to Prioritize AI in Optical Sensors: SBIR Program Launches New Opportunities

The U.S. Army is welcoming Phase I and Direct to Phase II small business proposals focused on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in autonomous optical sensors and the like. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is further emphasizing novel AI and machine learning (ML) methods for signal classification in positioning, navigation, and timing applications.

Palantir Secures a $178 Million Deal to Deliver TITAN Ground Stations

Palantir Secures a $178 Million Deal to Deliver TITAN Ground Stations

Denver-based Palantir has secured a substantial $178 million deal to deliver cutting-edge technologies for the U.S. Army. Specifically, the company has been tasked with constructing 10 Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) ground stations over a two-year period.

Revolutionizing Science & Engineering: IARPA’s Exploration of AI Potential

IARPA Explores AI’s Potential to Advance Science and Engineering

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) is actively seeking public feedback to assess the feasibility of developing a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model that can produce novel scientific and engineering innovations after being trained on relevant data.

Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. James Mingus, Shares Insights on Network Changes and Counter-UAS Plans

U.S. Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. James Mingus, Focuses on Network Changes and Counter-UAS Plans

Gen. James Mingus, Vice Chief of Staff at the U.S. Army, has spotlighted network changes and counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) plans as his key priorities within the military branch. His efforts fall under the umbrella terms “C2 Fix” and “C2 Next,” which refer to the Army’s ongoing and future programs, particularly those involving data-centric command and control systems. The original article can be found here.

Digital-First Public Experience: Federal CIO Expects Significant Impact in 2024

Digital-First Public Experience: Federal CIO Expects Significant Impact in 2024

Federal Chief Information Officer Clare Martorana has stated that the increasing digital interaction between the U.S. public and the government will yield significant results in 2024, following the issuance of the “Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience” memo from the Office of Management and Budget in September 2023. The memo aligns with the implementations of the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, calling for a digital-first strategy in government services delivery. The original article can be found here .

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