The Department of the Air Force announced on Tuesday that Susan Davenport has been appointed as the new Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO), succeeding Chandra Donelson, who has served as the acting CDAO since April. Davenport takes the reins following Eileen Vidrine and Gen. John Olson, the DAF’s first CDAO.
The Department of the Air Force’s Chief Information Officer highlighted Davenport’s expertise in driving innovation and managing complex programs, stating that her skills will be crucial in shaping the future of data and AI for both the Air Force and Space Force.
In her new role, Davenport will oversee the development and implementation of strategies related to analytics, digital transformation, enterprise data management, and responsible and ethical artificial intelligence. Furthermore, she will lead the DAF’s initiative to become “AI ready” by 2025 and “AI competitive” by 2027, as outlined on the DAF’s CDAO webpage.
Davenport brings over 30 years of experience in the intelligence community, including her most recent position as Senior Advisor for Defense Innovation at the Secretary of the Air Force’s office, along with various other roles within the Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office.
The DAF has made significant progress in the AI space, becoming the first military branch to launch a generative AI tool, known as the Non-classified Internet Protocol Generative Pre-training Transformer (NIPRGPT), in June. As of last month, the tool has been utilized by over 80,000 airmen and guardians, aiming to enhance access to information and evaluate the necessity of generative AI within the DAF.
