Transforming Coast Guard Operations Through Data, AI, and Automation

Original Broadcast on Innovation in Government on 4/29/25

Presented by Carahsoft

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is undergoing a profound transformation by leveraging data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotic process automation (RPA) to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and modernize legacy systems. Brian Campo, Deputy Assistant Commandant for C4 & IT and Deputy CIO of the USCG, shared how his agency is building a data ecosystem that not only addresses current operational needs but also sets the foundation for scalable innovation.

Campo described the transition to a new financial management system as a catalyst for broader digital transformation. Recognizing the inherent complexity of a 235-year-old organization, the USCG is confronting challenges rooted in inconsistent data quality and outdated repositories. Rather than waiting for perfection, the Coast Guard adopted a pragmatic approach: leveraging AI to work with imperfect data, enhancing its capacity to detect anomalies and make informed decisions.

A centerpiece of the strategy is the formation of integrated data teams—comprising mission owners, operators, and data scientists—tasked with developing “data products” that clean, match, and synthesize data from multiple legacy systems. These products become authoritative sources of truth, enabling better decision support and situational awareness across missions.

The Coast Guard’s success with RPA has been remarkable. Campo highlighted a $2.5 million investment that yielded a 200,000-hour labor savings in just the first year. These automations bridged gaps that emerged during the financial system migration, helping the agency adapt workflows that couldn’t be fully integrated initially.

Looking ahead, Campo is focused on agentic AI—tools that can support users across the enterprise without requiring developer expertise. His moonshot goal is to deploy an AI agent to every desktop by 2027. To scale efficiently, the Coast Guard is taking a “fast follower” approach, studying programs like the Army’s CAMO GPT and the Air Force’s NIPR GPT and adapting them for DHS-specific needs.

Despite budgetary constraints, the Coast Guard continues to show that innovation doesn’t always require reinvention—sometimes it just requires the right partnerships, smart adaptation, and a relentless focus on ROI.

Key Takeaways:

• Data Transformation is Mission Critical: The USCG’s use of integrated data teams is improving data quality and creating authoritative records for decision-making.

• RPA Delivers High ROI: Automating manual processes during a financial system transition saved 200,000 labor hours in a single year.

• AI Democratization is the Future: Campo’s goal is to place agentic AI on every desktop by 2027, empowering all personnel with intelligent tools.