CENTCOM hires former Google Cloud AI exec

By Tony Bertuca / April 19, 2023 at 10:28 AM

U.S. Central Command has hired the former director of Google Cloud AI to serve as its first-ever adviser on artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing and data analytics.

Andrew Moore, who is also a former dean of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science, is one of the world’s leading experts on machine learning, according to a statement from CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla.

“Dr. Moore brings a level of expertise in AI, Cloud Computing, and Robotics that is unmatched,” Kurilla said. “He is the leading figure in all the areas in which we plan to expand CENTCOM. This hire is a tremendous win for the culture of innovation we’re building across CENTCOM. Dr. Moore will significantly accelerate our innovation initiatives.”

Moore said in a statement that he wants to see AI “applied where it really makes a positive difference and CENTCOM’s mission is seriously inspiring to me.”

With the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the ongoing Pentagon pivot to countering China in the Indo-Pacific region, CENTCOM is transitioning from its role as a wartime command center. Earlier this week, CENTCOM announced a successful helicopter raid in northern Syria that killed an Islamic State leader “after intelligence revealed an ISIS plot to kidnap officials abroad to use as leverage.”

Schuyler Moore, CENTCOM’s chief technology officer, said in a statement the command is specifically prioritizing digital transformation.

“We are focused on collecting, organizing, and leveraging our data in a more efficient and effective way to support our missions,” she said. “With Andrew's exquisite experience in AI, network architecture, and data science, he will be able to provide critical guidance and advice to the command on these issues and drive further momentum behind our efforts to embrace data-centric warfighting.”

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