Original Broadcast Date: 09/21/2026

Sponsored by Amentum

This episode of Fed Gov Today explores how government leaders are preparing for an AI-driven future, focusing on cybersecurity, modernization, and workforce transformation. The program opens with Amentum Chief Technology Officer Jill Bruning discussing how artificial intelligence is helping agencies shift from reactive operations to proactive mission delivery. She explains that AI is improving enterprise IT and cybersecurity by helping organizations manage growing volumes of threat data while keeping humans in the decision-making process. Bruning emphasizes the importance of a secure digital foundation, strong governance, and “right-sized AI” that delivers practical outcomes rather than pursuing technology for its own sake.

The episode’s main conversation features Pentagon Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies, who outlines her four strategic pillars for transforming the Pentagon: an enduring digital foundation, agile digital capabilities, cybersecurity for the warfighting ecosystem, and skills and partnerships. Davies explains that the department must modernize infrastructure, expand computing capacity, improve data availability, and strengthen network resilience to support AI and future mission needs. She highlights efforts to reduce technical debt using a risk-based approach and describes plans to streamline processes through automation rather than simply accelerating existing workflows.

Davies also discusses cybersecurity as a defense-in-depth strategy that extends beyond traditional perimeter security and supports warfighters operating in connected environments. Finally, she stresses the importance of partnerships among government, industry, allies, and academia, as well as skills-based hiring and workforce development initiatives. Together, these efforts aim to strengthen technological readiness, improve efficiency, and help the department achieve greater operational effectiveness in the years ahead.

Why ‘Right-Sized AI’ Could Be the Secret to Stronger Government Cybersecurity

Amentum Chief Technology Officer Jill Bruning explains how artificial intelligence is helping federal agencies move from reactive operations to proactive mission delivery. She says AI is transforming enterprise IT and cybersecurity by enabling organizations to process massive volumes of threat data and telemetry while helping employees make smarter decisions in real time.

Bruning emphasizes that success begins with a secure digital foundation, including visibility into devices, assets, tools, and data. She argues that agencies need strong governance, guardrails, and processes to manage rapidly changing environments and ensure AI delivers meaningful outcomes. Bruning introduces the concept of “right-sized AI,” which emphasizes using the right tools in the right environments rather than adopting extreme approaches. She also highlights that zero trust remains an operational model built on a resilient digital foundation.

Finally, she stresses that compliance and resilience must work together, supported by disciplined systems engineering, to improve cybersecurity and mission performance.

Key Takeaways:

• AI is helping agencies shift from reactive operations to proactive mission delivery by improving cybersecurity, data analysis, and workforce productivity.

• A secure digital foundation, combined with strong governance and guardrails, is essential for successful AI adoption.

• Zero trust, compliance, and resilience work best together when agencies focus on mission outcomes rather than treating them as competing priorities.
  

Pentagon CIO Reveals the Four-Pillar Blueprint Powering Defense’s AI Future

Pentagon Chief Information Officer Kirsten Davies outlines a four-pillar strategy designed to modernize the Pentagon for the AI era. The strategy focuses on building an enduring digital foundation, delivering agile digital capabilities,
strengthening cybersecurity across the warfighting ecosystem, and expanding skills and partnerships.

Davies explains that supporting AI requires greater computing power, storage,
network resilience, and data accessibility across global operations. She highlights efforts to modernize legacy systems and reduce technical debt using a risk-based approach that prioritizes cybersecurity alongside cost savings. Davies also emphasizes that true agility is not simply accelerating existing processes but redesigning them through automation and smarter workflows. On cybersecurity, she describes a defense-in-depth model that extends beyond traditional perimeter security and enables digitally connected warfighters to operate securely.

Finally, Davies underscores the importance of partnerships across government, industry, allies, and academia, while promoting skills-based hiring, apprenticeships, and workforce development to support long-term transformation.

Key Takeaways:

• The Pentagon’s modernization strategy is built around four pillars: digital infrastructure, agility, cybersecurity, and workforce partnerships.

• AI readiness requires significant investments in compute capacity, network resilience, data modernization, and the retirement of legacy technology.

• Davies believes that lasting transformation depends as much on cultural change, automation, and strong partnerships as on technology itself.