Indian American national security expert, Radha Iyengar Plumb assumed her new role as the Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) on Apr.9.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III presided over the swearing-in ceremony that was attended by Plumb’s family and colleagues. She most recently served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
The strategic value of information to decision-making is critical for our warfighters and industry partners—and that’s exactly why we stood up @DODCDAO. Today, I swore in Dr. Plumb as the new CDAO chief, whose expertise will undoubtedly enhance the CDAO’s innovative efforts. pic.twitter.com/f64j99hLP2
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) April 9, 2024
Plumb expressed her commitment to leveraging AI and digital technologies in the new role. “It is an honor to serve in this role at a critical time for our nation. AI and digital innovation provide crucial new technologies and capabilities for our war fighters, “ she said in a statement.
“I am looking forward to collaborating with partners, from military leaders to industry partners and academia to our allies and partners to ensure we delivering digital and AI technological advancements at speed and scale,” she added.
Prior to her government roles, Plumb held roles at Google, RAND, and Facebook. At Google, she was chief of staff and prior to that, director of research and insights for trust and safety, whereas at Facebook, she served as the global head of policy analysis and focused on high risk/high harm safety and critical international security issues.
With a Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University, Plumb also served as an assistant professor at the London School of Economics and a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy scholar at Harvard.
The Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) office, established in June 2022, integrated AI capabilities across the DoD. Tasked with accelerating the adoption of data-driven solutions, the CDAO office played an important role in safeguarding the nation against evolving threats.
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