In an exclusive interview with the Washington AI Network, U.S. Army Chief Technology Officer Dr. Alex Miller pushed for AI companies to offer their best technology to the military, describes the dominance of drones calling them “airborne IEDs” and stressed the importance of working with commercial AI providers in the debut episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast’s new CTO Sessions series.

The veteran technologist and intelligence officer gave his insights on warfighting today, “What you’re seeing in Europe with the drones — those are airborne IEDs,” Miller said. “It is a bomb that can fly a hundred miles an hour. We have to get really good at countering those — using AI to detect them in the electromagnetic spectrum, identify them instantly, and deploy countermeasures in real time.”

The conversation, hosted by Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad, covered the Army’s plans for adopting artificial intelligence, speeding procurement, the China threat and preparing soldiers for the future fight.

Miller said the Army will adopt frontier AI models rather than try to build its own.
“I don’t like to compete with industry. That’s bad for taxpayers and not good value for soldiers,” he said. “In areas where industry’s way ahead, I don’t need to compete with the frontier AI providers. We’ll adopt those and tailor them to whatever our mission is.”

On the newly released GPT-5 model, Miller pointed to gains in efficiency over raw intelligence.
“Was there a huge increase in intelligence? Not that I’ve seen online,” he said. “What we see with 5 is another massive consolidation and power efficiency. Eventually, I want to run those LLMs on soldiers’ faces with smart glasses, on their phones, and on their vehicles.”

Miller also highlighted efforts to shorten Army procurement cycles.
“Our next generation command and control document is three pages — three and a half if you count the graphic,” he said. “Then we spend a year just getting technology into our soldiers’ hands to try it and get direct feedback… What we’re trying to do now is fix the process so that’s no longer a workaround — it’s just the way the process works.”

Miller underscored the Army’s central role in U.S. defense.
“When the world dials 911, the phone rings at Fort Bragg,” he said. “We are everywhere, all the time, every day, doing every mission the nation asks us to.”

The episode was recorded on August 12 at The House at 1229 in Washington, DC, and presented in partnership with the NobleReach Foundation, where CEO Arun Gupta introduced the 2025 cohort of NobleReach scholars.

The full conversation with Dr. Miller is available now on YouTube and across podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The Washington AI Network and the General Catalyst Institute convened top voices in defense innovation, AI, and industrial reinvention on Wednesday evening, July 9, at The House at 1229 for a conversation exploring the future of national security through private sector leadership.

The evening featured a live podcast taping and panel discussion, led by Tammy Haddad, founder of the Washington AI Network and host of its podcast.

Teresa Carlson, founding president of the General Catalyst Institute, highlighted the unique opportunity and responsibility for private-sector founders to partner with government.

“You’re not just building companies—you’re building capacity,” Carlson said. “The role of the private sector is to help government scale and succeed. That’s what tonight is all about.”

Dr. Jason Rathje, former director of the Office of Strategic Capital at the U.S. Department of Defense, echoed that message:

“The nation is at an inflection point. We need to re-industrialize America. And it’s not just about the Defense Department anymore—it’s commerce, energy, state, industry, investors. You all are part of the solution set.”

The conversation then spotlighted three General Catalyst-backed founders working at the intersection of AI, automation, and industrial resilience:

• Evan Beard, CEO of Standard Bots, whose U.S.-made AI-powered robotic arms are redefining industrial automation.
• Cameron McCord, CEO of Nominal, which builds a software platform for testing and certifying complex hardware systems.
• Jon Battles, vice president of technology strategy at Cobot and an Amazon veteran, who is applying autonomous robotics to logistics, healthcare, and defense.

Beard explained how Standard Bots is making automation easier and more accessible for American manufacturers:

“If you quote parts in the U.S. versus China, it’s 10x more to make parts in the U.S.,” he said. “We need better training, and we need centers of excellence to show how to build best-in-class facilities.”
“What we heard this week is that this is a priority… It really feels like a moment of tremendous change.”

McCord described the need for software that can rapidly test and validate hardware:

“It is a solved problem in the world today to test and validate software. That same luxury does not exist if you are building hardware—and especially software-defined hardware.”
“Admiral Davidson talks about 2027. Time matters.”

Battles reflected on lessons from the pandemic and his time at Amazon:

“COVID taught us how critical the supply chains were. We had to fly in masks from China for our employees… and we just simply couldn’t make them in the U.S.”

“The government knows what needs to be done. They know the technologies that need to be developed. Now it’s about aligning these needs to a quick execution plan.”

The discussion also touched on systemic challenges—from procurement timelines to industrial workforce gaps—and the urgent need to scale innovation across agencies and across the country.

Mark Huntington, managing director, North America at PhysicsX, and Carey Browning, chief commercial officer at Re:Build Manufacturing, also spoke about modernizing industrial capabilities through software and advanced production.

Attendees included: U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach; Artem Sherbinin, CTO of the U.S. Navy’s Task Force Hopper; John Sankovich of DIU; Colonel Chris Keller, U.S. Air Force; Jim Goyer, Alex Flemister, and Jordan Wood of the White House Office of Public Liaison; Jake Denton, CTO of the FTC; Economic Club of Washington CEO Mary Brady; Jeremy Bash, managing director and partner at Beacon Global Strategies; Andrew Wills of Invenergy; Ashley Callen of Jenner & Block; Jonathan Cousimano from Gov. Gavin Newson’s office; Tyler Lewis from Gov. Wes Moore’s office; Cornerstone’s Andy Flick; GCI’s Maryam Mujica, Jonathan Clifford, and Peter Nonis; Palantir’s Machalagh Carr, Palantir; Alan McQuinn of the House Research and Technology Subcommittee; EqualAI CEO Miriam Vogel; NTIA Associate Administrator Jaisha Wray; Trevor Smith from Rep. Vince Fong’s office; Seven Letter’s Sabrina Singh; Anita McBride, author and former chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush; Onebrief CEO; Grant Demaree; NIST’s Martin Stanley; Thomas Halvorsen of the Middle East Institute; Alex Yergin of Booz Allen Hamilton; and Alex Poulin of Lavrock Ventures.

In the latest episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast, Courtney O’Donnell, U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO, and Sean Patrick Maloney, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), joined host Tammy Haddad to discuss the pivotal role the United States is playing in leveraging AI to advance education, health, climate action, and international cooperation. The interview was recorded at the shared offices of the U.S. missions to the OECD and to UNESCO offices in Paris, France on December 5.

Through their unique roles at UNESCO and OECD, Ambassadors O’Donnell and Maloney are shaping global policies that prioritize ethical governance, inclusivity, and sustainability. During the conversation, they shared insights into how American leadership is promoting human rights, sustainability, and equitable access to innovation through international cooperation.

“Many people know UNESCO for the work around the world to save and protect unique cultural heritage sites through their World Heritage program, but the reach, as you think about science, education, and culture, is incredibly vast. Artificial intelligence is no doubt impacting all of them,” explained O’Donnell. “What really is at the core of the US presence at UNESCO is ensuring that these technologies are based around a human-centered, human-rights-based approach. And I know very well the work of the 2023 Presidential executive order around AI as safe, trustworthy, and how we make sure that we bring those ideals and those values to this forum.”

Building off O’Donnell’s point on U.S. engagement in global AI governance, Maloney broke down OECD’s unique role in convening like-minded nations, “the only way to avoid the downsides of AI, which are real, is to enshrine your values in the systems that AI is built on. And what we are able to do on data and on other issues at OECD is get together with the countries who really share our values and to work on issues of inclusivity that open up the opportunities of AI globally, but that also have deeply rooted within them the values of human rights and of free expression and of obviously just accuracy, historical accuracy.”

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. And that is very true in AI,” added Maloney. 

Maloney discussed the ongoing efforts to ensure AI benefits are accessible worldwide, “the United States is very focused on both spreading the benefits of AI but also making sure that it is, as Courtney points out, safe and reliable. The Secretary of State recently traveled to New York and made an announcement at the General Assembly, which is just the latest effort…a hundred million dollars commitment…to support the computing that’s required for effective AI to more countries, to open up some of the models to have more local context and language because, of course, the data has to be inclusive of people’s different languages, different cultures, different nuances and sensitivities.”

The discussion also touched on AI’s potential to drive advancements in sustainability and its critical role in supporting climate goals through enhanced modeling, resource management, and innovative energy solutions. 

Maloney openly addressed the critical need for sustainable energy solutions to support AI applications, “We can’t lose sight of our energy transition goals, we can’t lose sight of the climate crisis. And that’s why the energy conversation is inextricably linked to the AI conversation because…to do the type of computing required here on these large models requires enormous amounts of energy.” 

O’Donnell detailed how UNESCO is leveraging AI in environmental science, “part of UNESCO is the International Oceanographic Committee and the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program, the IHP, where we see it’s using AI to monitor water and resources. So some of the greatest science and climate-based initiatives that have been core to UNESCO’s work and have involvement of great American universities and scientists are now implementing AI into their ongoing work.”

Maloney also highlighted the broader implications of AI for climate policy,  stating, “We’ve done enormously important work on this in the United States in the last few years, such as the Inflation Reduction Act and other measures where the Biden administration has really led on climate. And I think what AI opens up is the possibility that you can just accelerate these efforts through better modeling, through better technologies, through better identifying ways in which you can decarbonize while you maintain robust economic growth, which is the key.”

In addition to AI’s potential in climate solutions, Maloney also touched on the transformative potential of AI in global health. “I’ve recently learned about a program in India where, using AI tools, you can cough basically next to your phone and by the sound of your cough, the AI program can diagnose tuberculosis. They’ve already had hundreds of millions of people participate in this program to eradicate that disease in India. So it’s just one example of how exciting these tools are and the incredible diagnostic possibilities.”

On the topic of the potential dangers of AI, O’Donnell and Maloney acknowledged the concerns surrounding AI’s rapid development and its potential misuse. They stressed that, while the technology holds incredible promise, the risks of unchecked development and unintended consequences cannot be ignored. They also highlighted the importance of global cooperation and intentional governance to mitigate these challenges while fostering the benefits of AI. 

“If you talk to technologists, and you have a high-level conversation about AI, the fears you typically hear about are the science fiction movie of AI taking over the world or of automated systems doing things that humans can’t stop. And those concerns are, believe it or not, actually real, and we have to be careful,” warned Maloney.

O’Donnell then turned the conversation towards the importance of integrating AI into educational frameworks, and detailed how UNESCO has taken a leading role in fostering digital literacy across various audiences.“At UNESCO, we see that a lot on the education side in terms of how are we thinking about digital literacy, digital learning, both for teachers, for parents, for students to be smarter about sources and to really question that. And so how does that manifest itself in different curricula? How do you ensure textbooks are inclusive? How do you ensure they’re credible?”

O’Donnell also emphasized the importance of preparing educators and learners to navigate the digital landscape responsibly.

On August 12, the Washington AI Network podcast welcomed Elizabeth Kelly, Director of the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, for a conversation with host Tammy Haddad around the implementation of the AI Executive Order and recent 270-day milestone deliverables led by the Institute, as well as the upcoming Paris AI Action Summit, the private sector’s role in ensuring trust in AI, and global collaboration on AI standards. The interview was recorded before a live audience in the theater of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. 

In addition to announcing the hiring of Conrad Stosz as the U.S. AI Safety Institute’s new head of policy, Kelly highlights recent bipartisan progress on the Future of AI Innovation Act in the Senate, which would formally authorize the Institute, and newly released draft guidance on model misuse that is open for public comment.

Kelly on US leadership on AI innovation and safety: “We really view our role at the Commerce Department as driving and leading U.S. innovation, and safety is a key part of that. Safety enables trust, enables adoption, enables innovation. And that’s why we all get up in the morning and why we think our work is so important. And we are incredibly lucky to have so many outstanding researchers, companies who are really on the forefront of this incredible technology here in the U.S. and we think it’s imperative that we continue to maintain that lead.” 

When discussing transparency in private sector AI development: “It’s not just the US government that has this knowledge, but the companies are helping foster this broader ecosystem of trust. And that’s why we think it’s such a key component of the guidance.”

On the Paris Action Summit: “I think that the work that we’re doing in the AI Safety Institute network, the convening that we’ll be having at a technical level in November, really feeds into this drive for action. We’re excited to help produce deliverables ahead of Paris.” 

Watch the full video on YouTube or listen to the full episode on Audioboom, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Washington AI Network hosted AI leaders to commemorate the first anniversary of the White House’s Voluntary Commitments on AI. Founder Tammy Haddad hosted a fireside chat with David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy and General Counsel at Amazon, who highlighted the opportunities and challenges AI presents and the work that Amazon has provided to businesses and customers for secure AI. He emphasized the power of frameworks connecting industry, government and researchers.

A panel conversation followed with Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Vice Chair of the AI Caucus, Rebecca Finlay, CEO of the Partnership on AI, and Dr. Seth Center, Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology at the U.S. Department of State. Their discussion underscored the significant progress made since the inception of the Voluntary Commitments on AI and the ongoing efforts to ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed ethically, transparently, and for the benefit of all.

The speakers emphasized the unusual collaboration of tech companies and the critical importance of these commitments in fostering a landscape where AI advancements align with societal values and public interest. The event served as a platform for reinforcing the shared vision of an ethical and inclusive AI future, highlighting the collaborative efforts needed to navigate the complexities of emerging AI technologies. 

The event was attended by an array of distinguished guests including senior officials from the White House, government officials, top executives from leading tech companies, members of the media and other influential thought leaders within the AI community.

Other notable guests Included: Senior Advisor to the President and White House Director of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin, Deputy Assistant to the President John McCarthy, Chief AI Advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Elham Tabassi, Deputy Press Secretary at the Department of Defense Sabrina Singh, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security Mary Ellen Callahan, Costa Rican Ambassador to the Unites States Catalina Crespo-Sancho, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at CAIS Varun Krovi, Cyber Security Advisor at the Embassy of France Oceane Thieriot, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Nicoletta Giordani, Advisor for Public Engagement at the White House Sydney Harvey, Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor to the President Daisy Buenrostro, CBS’ Chief Election and Campaign Correspondent Robert Costa, Technology Reporter for CNBC Annie Palmer, the Washington Post’s Tech Policy Reporter Cat Zakrzewski, Politico’s Deputy Tech Editor Daniella Cheslow, Sen. Mitt Romney’s Chief of Staff Liz Johnson, AI Policy Advisor for Rep. Don Beyer Jason Liang, Head of Government Relations at Scale AI Max Fenkell, Founder and President of Seed AI Austin Carson, Eric Schmidt’s Chief of Staff Andrew Moore, Global Policy Director at Credo AI Evi Fuelle, Co-Founder and Chairman at Silverado Policy Accelerator Maureen Hinman, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Brazil Fernando de Oliveira Sena, and First Secretary of Technology Policy at the British Embassy Jonathan Tan.

In a new special episode of the Washington AI Network Podcast, host Tammy Haddad moderates a conversation with two of the nation’s leading forces for safety and security in elections and how they are safeguarding against the threats posed by artificial intelligence (AI) in the 2024 election. The episode features:

• Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
• Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
• Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball

The conversation was recorded in front of a live audience on Friday, April 5 at the 25th anniversary celebration of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and Sabato’s Crystal Ball. 

[Read more…]

Kara Swisher, renowned tech journalist, podcaster, and author of the New York Times bestseller, “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story,” brought her national book tour to the House at 1229 on March 2 for a Washington AI Network “Haippy Hour” and podcast taping. The event was hosted by General Catalyst advisor Teresa Carlson and Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad.

Haddad led and moderated a conversation with Swisher for the Washington AI Network Podcast, during which she turned the tables and opened the mic for friends and members of the Washington AI Network community, including policy advocates, government officials, and industry leaders to “Ask Kara Anything.” 

When asked which tech company she would choose take over, Swisher paused and then answered, “Probably Meta … It’s the most important company … right at this moment. It doesn’t mean it’s going to continue to be, but …  they have a lot of impact. News flows over Facebook right now still. Instagram is enormous … I like Threads a lot … although it’s a low bar because Twitter’s gotten to be such a toxic waste dump.”

Of Twitter’s owner, with whom she no longer speaks, she griped: “Why do we care what Elon Musk thinks about cesareans? I had one. F*ck you. Stop talking about it. Stop telling me about big-headed children. Like, get the f*ck off my lawn.”

On the best way to use generative AI, Swisher said, “I use it all the time. I recommend everybody try it because … it’s in a crude form. It’s like the early internet when you used it, it was like, ‘what is it doing?’… You have to figure out what it’s used for”

On how to prevent harm around artificial intelligence, Swisher conceded that “there’s never going to be an information agency.” She pressed that there should be a “cabinet level position” addressing artificial intelligence and its impact on information.

And when asked which actress she’d like to see play her in a biopic, Swisher answered “Holly Hunter.”

Following the program, the host of “On with Kara Swisher” and “Pivot,” greeted guests and autographed copies of her new book, often signing her new tagline, “burn, baby, burn.”  

See more photos from the event HERE.

Attendees included CBS News’ Robert Costa, MSNBC’s Symone Sanders, Special Assistant to the President John McCarthy, CTO, U.S. AI Safety Institute Elham Tabassi, Varun Krovi from the Center for AI Safety Action Fund, Sen. Romney’s chief of staff Liz Johnson, Sen Warner’s chief of staff Elizabeth Falcone, Sen. Schatz chief of staff Reema Dodin, James Perry Adams from the Department of Defense, Emily Druckman from Rep. Veasey’s office, Julian Ramirez from the German Embassy, the Post’s Amanda Katz and Cat Zakrzewski, David Adler from Bizbash, Cathay Merrill from the Washingtonian, Cuneyt Dil from Axios, Equal AI CEO and NAIAC Chair Miriam Vogel, co-founders of Silverado Policy Accelerator Dmitri and Maureen Alperovitch, Amazon’s head of public policy Shannon Kellogg, Meta’s David Ginsberg, Monumental Sports’ Michelle Freeman, Helen Milby from GlobalWIN, Maryam Mujica from BookingHoldings, Carol Melton from Adeft Capital, founder of Quell Strategies Machalagh Carr, and Michelle Obama’s communications director Crystal Carson.