Presented by Carahsoft
Dawn Zimmer, Chief Information Officer at the Department of Energy, discussed how the agency has evolved from early artificial intelligence experimentation into a comprehensive enterprise AI ecosystem that is helping employees and executives make better, faster decisions. Through internally developed capabilities such as EnergyGPT and Quanta, DOE is combining agency knowledge, public information, and advanced analytics to support everything from workforce productivity to large-scale energy policy decisions.
Zimmer explained that DOE's AI journey began with internally trained models that leveraged agency data. While useful, those early efforts were limited because they lacked access to broader information sources. By introducing web-grounded capabilities while keeping sensitive DOE information secure, the department dramatically expanded the value of its AI environment. Employees can now access relevant external information while maintaining the security and integrity of proprietary data.
Zimmer noted that technology has not been the biggest challenge. Instead, changing organizational culture and encouraging data sharing across traditionally siloed programs has required significant effort. Convincing employees that data belongs to the enterprise rather than individual offices has been essential to unlocking the full value of AI.
The success of these initiatives has fueled rapid demand across the department and beyond. Other agencies are increasingly interested in DOE's approach, while executives throughout the organization are actively sharing prompts, insights, and best practices that continue to expand the value of AI across mission areas.
Key Takeaways
• DOE is integrating internal and external information sources to create more powerful AI tools.
• Large-scale data analytics are helping leaders make more informed energy and policy decisions.
• Cultural change and data sharing are critical enablers of successful AI adoption.