Original Broadcast Date: 02/22/2026
Presented by Symantec, Carbon Black, & Carahsoft
The Pentagon’s generative AI platform is no longer an experiment—it is an operational capability, and Cameron Stanley says its rapid adoption is already reshaping how the department works.
Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, makes clear that GenAI.mil is live and delivering results. Launched earlier this year, the platform sees overwhelming engagement almost immediately. In its first week alone, more than 550,000 unique users log on to use primarily frontier AI models. Since then, that number continues to grow, approaching a million users across the department.
Stanley emphasizes that GenAI.mil is more than a concept. It is a secure, unclassified environment designed to give the workforce access to generative AI tools while maintaining appropriate guardrails. Early usage mirrors what many people do with commercial AI platforms—summarizing documents, drafting memos, generating emails, and answering questions. But Stanley says the shift happening now is more important.
Over the past month and a half, users begin integrating generative AI into more operational workflows. They are not just asking general questions. They are creating lists, developing approaches they had not previously considered, and leveraging unclassified department data to improve their work. In many cases, they demonstrate significant efficiencies within their offices.
One of the most notable elements of the rollout is how the CDAO measures success. Stanley explains that the team does not track usage at the level of individual users. With such a large user base, that would be impractical. Instead, they analyze trends. They look at what categories of tasks people are performing, how query density is changing, and where complexity is increasing.
That complexity is already rising. While early adoption centers on simple tasks, users are now asking second- and third-order questions. They are refining prompts, following up on outputs, and pushing the system’s boundaries. Stanley finds this development encouraging. It shows users are becoming comfortable with the platform and are learning what the models can and cannot do.
In fact, he suggests that one of the strongest signals of success is when users demonstrate new applications on their own. Rather than being told how to use the tool, they explore it and reveal capabilities through real-world experimentation. That organic growth helps inform the roadmap for GenAI.mil. As patterns emerge, the team can optimize the platform to better serve the majority of users’ needs.
Security and governance remain central to the design. Stanley explains that guardrails are built into the technical implementation. By operating in a secure, unclassified environment and limiting access to controlled unclassified information, the platform allows experimentation without compromising sensitive data. This structure provides flexibility while maintaining boundaries.
At the same time, Stanley acknowledges there is still much to learn. Understanding how users transform knowledge into action is a major area of focus. It is not just about accumulating information—it is about accelerating decision-making processes across the department. The CDAO is watching closely to see how generative AI influences workflows and what additional functionality might be required.
The broader organizational context also matters. The CDAO now operates under the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Stanley views this move as a positive step. By colocating innovative organizations under the department’s Chief Technology Officer, the Pentagon strengthens collaboration across the innovation ecosystem.
This alignment enables horizontal integration with entities like the Defense Innovation Unit and other advanced research organizations. If prototyping challenges arise, there are now closer relationships and clearer pathways to collaboration. Likewise, if other offices encounter complex data problems, the CDAO can engage more directly. Stanley describes the benefit as finding “like with like” and accelerating cooperation.
The move also sharpens focus. Previously, as a principal staff assistant, the office concentrates on broader strategic issues. Now, there is greater emphasis on tactical improvement and operational enablement, especially in support of warfighters. The combination of functional expertise and aligned authorities allows the team to influence outcomes more directly.
Looking ahead, Stanley suggests the innovation infrastructure within the Pentagon is just getting started. He anticipates deeper collaboration and coordinated efforts to tackle some of the department’s most complex challenges—problems that may require multiple authorities and capabilities working together.
Throughout the interview, the tone is forward-looking and pragmatic. GenAI.mil is scaling quickly. Users are growing more sophisticated. Guardrails are in place. And organizational changes are positioning the CDAO closer to execution. For Stanley, the story is not simply about deploying AI. It is about building an environment where responsible experimentation, operational impact, and collaboration drive continuous improvement across the department.