Overview
- Kliger is tasked with day-to-day alignment of Defense Department AI projects and will work directly with frontier AI labs, according to Pentagon technology chief Emil Michael.
- Kliger previously helped launch GenAI.mil, the department’s enterprise platform for generative AI access, and his role centers on strategic focus and secure data access.
- The chief data officer position remains distinct from Chief Digital and AI Officer Cameron Stanley’s portfolio, which focuses on accelerating adoption of AI and data-powered capabilities.
- Kliger’s appointment comes during a public dispute with Anthropic, which the department has labeled a supply chain risk, adding tension to engagement with commercial AI models.
- Earlier this week, James “Aaron” Bishop was named deputy CIO for cybersecurity and chief information security officer after serving as the Air Force CISO, succeeding longtime official Dave McKeown.