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Radha Plumb To Head DoD's AI Office

She will lead Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, stood up by Craig Martell in 2022.

Radha Plumb, shown speaking at AFCEA’s TechNet Emergence, has been named the next Department of Defense chief digital and artificial intelligence officer.

Radha Plumb will be the Department of Defense's (DoD's) next chief digital and artificial intelligence officer (CDAO) effective April 8; she will replace Craig Martell, who stood up the office in 2022.

“Plumb has worked to tackle pressing acquisition matters related to DoD, including building out and maintaining a robust national security industrial base and supply chain,” said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a release.

Plumb, who is currently serving as deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, spoke on Monday at AFCEA's TechNet Emergence, where she stressed the need to purchase at speed to achieve technological advantages.

“We need a more creative acquisition process, we need greater productivity with a wider range of vendors, and the security to sustain all of that,” Plumb said.

During Martell’s tenure, the Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office concentrated on preparing the troves of Pentagon data for use by agencies, services, vendors and commands.

“There is no doubt that Dr. Plumb's technical expertise and strategic acumen will enhance the CDAO's innovative efforts, and help accelerate the DoD's adoption of data, analytics, and AI to generate decision advantage from the boardroom to the battlefield,” Austin's release said.

The DoD offered no explanation for the change. SIGNAL Media reached out to the Martell's Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, but it declined to comment.

Plumb has held positions in government and the business sector and holds a Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University.