Artificial Intelligence: Actions Needed to Improve DoD's Workforce Management

The Department of Defense (DOD) typically establishes standard definitions of its workforces to make decisions about which personnel are to be included in that workforce, and identifies its workforces by coding them in its data systems. DOD has taken steps to begin to identify its artificial intelligence (AI) workforce, but has not assigned responsibility and does not have a timeline for completing additional steps to fully define and identify this workforce. DOD developed AI work roles the specialized sets of tasks and functions requiring specific knowledge, skills, and abilities. DOD also identified some military and civilian occupations, such as computer scientists, that conduct AI work. However, DOD has not assigned responsibility to the organizations necessary to complete the additional steps required to define and identify its AI workforce, such as coding the work roles in various workforce data systems, developing a qualification program, and updating workforce guidance. DOD also does not have a timeline for completing these additional steps. Assigning responsibility and establishing a timeline for completion of the additional steps would enable DOD to more effectively assess the state of its AI workforce and be better prepared to forecast future workforce requirements (see figure).