5 Initiatives Driving the Marines to Be an AI-First Force
In this fireside chat, Marine Corps Deputy Commandant Colin Crosby outlines the service’s five key initiatives to become an AI‑first warfighting force, centered on a modern federated data architecture called MEXEN. He explains how data and digital integration enable rapid sensor‑to‑decision loops, supporting everything from platoon‑level situational awareness to strategic AI model deployment within 30 days of public release. The initiatives include digital transformation teams, an AI accelerator fellowship, a data orchestration layer, expanded industry‑academia collaboration, and the Marine Corps Software Factory that builds and sustains AI‑enabled capabilities. Crosby emphasizes that mastering data as a weapon system is essential for maintaining decision advantage against near‑peer competitors.
Army Moving SBIR to Focus on the Whole Vs. The Parts
In this episode of Ask the CIO, Army SBIR/STTR Program Manager Zeke Topolowski explains how the recent reauthorization of the SBIR program has reignited the Army’s innovation pipeline, with 98 new topics released DOD‑wide and five Army‑specific solicitations, including a...
DC3 Making Better Sense of Its Cyber Data
In this episode of Ask the CIO, Defense Cybercrime Center (DC3) Architecture Management of Data and Enterprise Division Chief Kajal Pal explains how DC3 protects the defense industrial base through digital forensics, threat intelligence sharing, and supply‑chain security. She details...
Why DHS No Longer Has a Compliance Mindset for Cybersecurity
In this episode of Ask the CIO, former DHS Chief Information Security Officer Hemant Badewin discusses his 15‑year federal career, why he chose to leave at this pivotal moment, and his new role as Executive CISO at Knox Systems. He...
DoT, NOAA Develop Paths to Modernize Critical Systems
The panel discussed how federal agencies are modernizing legacy IT systems to improve safety, efficiency, and resilience. Ankur Saini detailed the FMCSA’s new MODIS platform, a cloud‑based, one‑stop registration system that reduces fraud and streamlines trucking compliance. Rick Miner described...
A New Top Priority for State CIOs in 2026
In this episode of Ask the CIO, Doug Robinson, executive director of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, explains that artificial intelligence has surged to become the top priority for state CIOs in 2026, overtaking cybersecurity after years...
Savage Giving Specific IT Power Back to the State Agencies
In this episode, Maryland CIO Katie Savage discusses how the state is balancing the creation of centralized enterprise IT services with the need to empower individual agencies to retain specialized technology expertise. She outlines the strategies used to standardize core...