The appointment of Dr. Radha Iyengar Plumb as the new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has been recently announced, marking a transition from the tenure of Craig Martell, who held the position as the department’s inaugural CDAO. Dr. Plumb, presently serving as the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, is slated to assume her new role from April 8, 2024.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin acknowledged Craig Martell’s significant contributions, praising his leadership in consolidating the efforts of four diverse organizations to advance data, AI, and analytics within the national security realm. Secretary Austin expressed confidence in Dr. Plumb’s abilities, citing her technical expertise and strategic insight as assets that will further propel the innovative endeavors of the CDAO and expedite the DoD’s integration of data, analytics, and AI across various operational domains.
In addition to the leadership transition, the DoD is reportedly engaged in a comprehensive evaluation aimed at assessing the overall efficacy and impact of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s (CDAO) activities, encompassing procurement, strategy formulation, policy development, and AI implementation. This evaluation forms part of the ongoing oversight initiatives undertaken by the department to monitor the execution of AI initiatives and ensure their alignment with strategic objectives and operational imperatives.
