In a statement shared exclusively with DefenseScoop by a spokesperson Monday morning ahead of the official announcement, CDAO leadership thanked Streilein for “his immense technical leadership over the last two years as he prepares to transition back to MIT Lincoln Labs at the end of the summer.”

To join the CDAO in early 2022, Streilein stepped away from his role as a cyber leader and principal staff member in MIT’s Biotechnology and Human Systems Division. He subsequently helped drive a range of early initiatives and projects within the Pentagon’s AI-accelerating organization.

“In addition to establishing the Chief Technology Office within CDAO and providing strategic technical vision, he shaped the department’s thinking on Generative AI and AI/ML scaffolding and was often the face of CDAO in numerous public fora, effectively communicating DOD priorities and progress in AI to industry, academia, and government groups,” CDAO leadership wrote in the statement Monday. “Thank you, Dr. Streilein, for your service to our nation and impactful contributions to the CDAO and DOD mission.”

The CDAO has not made a selection yet for an acting CTO to replace Streilein but plans to do so before his departure, the spokesperson told DefenseScoop.

The post CDAO’s first tech chief Bill Streilein exits for academia appeared first on DefenseScoop.

This news comes nearly six months after the Department of Defense launched a major organizational restructure to place a number of technology-driving components under this newly established office, with the ultimate aim to better scale digital and Al-enabled capabilities across its massive enterprise.

“Following a multi-step process from [initial operating capability] to FOC the CDAO has fully merged and integrated the former component organizations of Advana, Chief Data Officer, Defense Digital Service, and Joint Artificial Intelligence Center. Legacy component names will no longer be recognized or used unless attributed to a product or capability specific to the department,” according to a statement from CDAO’s spokesperson.

New hires include: 

• Chief Digital and AI Officer – Craig Martell
• Deputy CDAO – Margaret Palmieri
• DCDAO for Acquisition – Sharothi Pikar
• DCDAO for Policy, Strategy and Governance – Clark Cully
• DCDAO for Enterprise Platforms and Business Optimization – Greg Little
• DCDAO for Algorithmic Warfare – Joe Larson
• DCDAO for Digital Services – Katie (Olson) Savage
• Chief Operating Officer – Dan Folliard
• Chief Technology Officer – Bill Streilein
• Chief of AI Assurance – Jane Pinelis

Diane Staheli was also recently tapped to lead the CDAO’s Responsible AI (RAI) Division.

Several of these officials have already made waves within DOD, including founder and former director of the Navy’s digital warfare office Margaret Palmieri, and Joe Larson, who previously served as deputy chief for the Pentagon’s Project Maven.

In these new roles at the CDAO, the officials will help steer the Pentagon’s strategy development and policy formulation for associated solutions; enable data access and AI adoption within appropriate institutional processes; establish a strong digital infrastructure and services to support military and department components’ AI- and digital-driven deployments, and more.

The CDAO is targeting October 1 for the full administrative alignment of personnel and resources, the spokesperson told FedScoop.

The post Pentagon announces new leadership for chief digital, AI office appeared first on DefenseScoop.