CISA names Lisa Einstein as first chief AI officer
The CISA logo at agency headquarters in Arlington, Va. DHS photo by Sydney Phoenix
The new position is part of the agency’s larger strategy to incorporate responsible artificial intelligence solutions both internally and externally to critical infrastructure partners.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency welcomed Lisa Einstein as the agency’s inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer, marking the agency’s endeavor to leverage and understand AI and machine learning capabilities responsibly in the context of critical infrastructure.
Einstein is an internal hire, having previously served as CISA’s senior advisor for AI and the executive director of the agency’s Cybersecurity Advisory Committee since 2022.
“I am proud of how our team at CISA has come together in the last two years to understand and respond to rapid advancements in AI — many of which have significant implications for our core missions of cyber defense and critical infrastructure security,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly in a press release. “Lisa Einstein has been central to that effort. Beyond her technical expertise, she’s an inspirational leader who has brought together colleagues across the agency around a clear and impactful vision. I could not be more thrilled to have her take on this important new role, which will help us continue to build AI expertise into the fabric of our agency and ensure we are equipped to effectively leverage the power of AI well into the future.”
As AI capabilities continue to evolve and pose security threats to the digital ecosystem, CISA has focused on building security awareness into AI development and deployment. Earlier this week, a report documented CISA’s need to onboard new staff to help tackle the anticipated influx of cyber reports the agency.
In late 2023, CISA released its Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence, outlining the steps the agency would be taking to assure it is ready to respond to the advent of sophisticated AI solutions.
In the press release announcing Einstein’s new assignment, CISA confirmed that the position will work to both institutionalize the use of AI and ML within the agency and evangelize the necessary security precautions the technology demands to critical infrastructure partners.
“I care deeply about CISA’s mission — if we succeed, the critical systems that Americans rely on every day will become safer, more reliable, and more capable. AI tools could accelerate our progress. But we will only reap their benefits and avoid harms from their misapplication or abuse if we all work together to prioritize safety, security, and trustworthiness in the development and deployment of AI tools,” Einstein said in a statement.