Presented by Carahsoft
Israel Soong, Deputy Director of the Office of Artificial Intelligence at the CIA, described how the agency is transitioning from building AI infrastructure to delivering mission-ready capabilities across the intelligence enterprise.
Over the past several years, the CIA has invested heavily in secure AI platforms, enterprise chatbot capabilities, and model-serving environments that allow advanced AI technologies to operate within classified environments. Those investments have established a foundation for broader adoption throughout the agency.
Today, the focus has shifted toward putting AI directly into the hands of officers who execute the mission every day. The agency encourages innovation at the operational edge while identifying successful solutions that can be scaled across the enterprise.
Soong emphasized that technology alone is not enough. Building trust in AI requires transparency, explainability, and human oversight. Because intelligence missions demand accuracy and accountability, users must understand how AI systems reach conclusions and remain confident in their outputs.
The CIA is also modernizing procurement and acquisition processes to accelerate access to emerging technologies while maintaining appropriate oversight and security standards. Partnerships with industry, research institutions, and venture organizations play an important role in identifying promising innovations.
As AI becomes more deeply embedded in intelligence operations, Soong believes workforce readiness and trust will determine the speed and success of adoption.
Key Takeaways
• The CIA is scaling AI from experimentation to enterprise mission support.
• Trust, explainability, and workforce readiness are critical adoption factors.
• Modernized procurement helps accelerate access to emerging technologies.