Data Management Among CIA Challenges in AI Tool Adoption, Official Says

Dan Richard, chief CIA cyber policy adviser, said data management and rapid adoption of commercial solutions are the challenges that the agency is working on as it pursues artificial intelligence use.

Speaking at the 14th Annual Billington CyberSecurity Summit held from Sept. 5 to 8, Richard noted that AI-powered disinformation and cyberattacks are also areas of concern that the intelligence community must confront “head on.” 

Richard’s remarks follow the news that the CIA wants its own ChatGPT-style tool competitive with China’s generative AI technology, FedScoop reported. 

While in-house is historically the CIA’s preference in applications development because of the work’s confidentiality, Richards noted that the agency must seek ways to partner with commercial firms so that it can keep pace with innovation. He added that leveraging commercial solutions would enable the CIA to solve more quickly some of its AI technology problems.  

Richard’s thinking jibes with the recent suggestion of National Security Agency Research Director Gilbert Herrera that intelligence agencies use commercial AI models to keep abreast of U.S. adversaries.