CDAO appoints investigators to look into reports of ‘adverse incidents’
The Pentagon’s new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer Radha Plumb has appointed multiple investigators to review and respond to reports of wrongdoing and alleged unethical conduct within the maturing AI hub, DefenseScoop has learned.
In an email obtained by the publication this week, which she sent widely to office personnel earlier in August, Plumb acknowledges that the “CDAO has experienced several adverse incidents over the past eight months.”
“It is important in each case to determine through an objective process what happened, how the incident can be resolved, and what lessons we can learn as an organization to avoid repeating any mistakes. As part of this process, I appointed Investigating Officers on August 16 to conduct timely, thorough and accurate investigations of each incident,” Plumb wrote.
She told those who have questions about their obligations to provide information to the oversight officials to reach out to the CDAO’s Office of the General Counsel — and also assured staff that if they are asked to provide information pertaining to the incidents, it does not necessarily indicate any wrongdoing on their part.
“These investigations are routine throughout the department and help us pursue economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in CDAO programs and operations; detect and prevent waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement; and ensure ethical conduct throughout our organization,” she wrote.
Plumb also urged everyone who is contacted by the newly-appointed investigating officers to respond “fully and in a timely manner.”
In response to questions from DefenseScoop on Tuesday, a defense official confirmed the authenticity of the email on the condition of anonymity but declined to provide further information about the alleged “adverse incidents” within CDAO in recent months.
“The CDAO advances data, analytics and AI-enabled capabilities of the Department of Defense. As it is a comparatively new organization, an important CDAO goal is to institutionalize processes that enable the organization to support digital transformation, while ensuring the organization can recruit, retain, and develop a talented, professional workforce to accomplish our mission,” the official told DefenseScoop.
“To that end, CDAO is currently conducting internal inquiries to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in CDAO programs and operations and to ensure the organization creates and maintains the highest standards of professionalism across its workforce. Although we do not have additional information to provide at this time, the CDAO team will continue to perform its vital mission to accelerate DOD adoption of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence,” the defense official said.
The CDAO was formed in late 2021, and reached full operating capability in 2022. Broadly, it combined four predecessor organizations — the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), Defense Digital Service (DDS), Office of the Chief Data Officer, and the Advana program — and is responsible for coordinating and accelerating the adoption of data, analytics and AI capabilities by all Defense Department components.
In March, DefenseScoop reported that Plumb would serve as the office’s new permanent chief, following the exit of DOD’s first official CDAO, former commercial technology executive Craig Martell, who led the AI organization from April 2022 to April 2024.
Separate from these newly revealed internal investigations within the CDAO, the DOD Office of Inspector General is also conducting a comprehensive, independent watchdog assessment to determine the CDAO’s “effectiveness” since its origin.
