GAO Urges Pentagon to Fix Responsible AI Council, Staffing

Arthur McMiler · 23h ago · 2 min read · executivegov.com

GAO suggested that the Chief Digital and AI Officer issue a charter for the Responsible AI Working Council
As of February, only three of 10 authorized Responsible AI Division positions were filled
GAO urged Congress to consider directing the Department of War to close open AI recommendations

The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of War formalize its responsible artificial intelligence coordination body and fill staffing gaps in the Chief Digital and AI Office. GAO warned that both shortfalls could slow efforts to field AI quickly.

The watchdog said Wednesday that the DOW concurred with both recommendations. GAO also asked lawmakers to consider directing the Pentagon to act on earlier recommendations on AI collaboration and workforce planning that remain open.

Why Does GAO Want a Charter for the Responsible AI Working Council?

The CDAO’s Responsible AI Division set up the council as the department’s working-level forum on the issue. However, officials told GAO the group stopped meeting in late 2024 and did not resume until August 2025. Four components said they ran into implementation problems during that gap that joint input could have eased. Six of 10 surveyed components said exchanging tools and lessons would help.

GAO said that without a charter assigning member duties and setting a meeting schedule, the council could stall again. That would leave the department unable to quickly resolve problems such as uneven readings of responsible AI guidance. GAO recommended that the CDAO issue a charter covering both the division and DOW components.

How Is Staffing Affecting the CDAO’s Responsible AI Work?

Officials said just three of the division’s 10 authorized positions were occupied as of February 2026. The shortage has held back additional steps the CDAO identified to advance the effort. GAO linked the issue to the department’s broader AI ambitions, noting that responsible practices enable faster adoption, and called on the CDAO to address the division’s staffing needs.

What Did GAO Find About Responsible AI Implementation Across DOW?

The department has adopted AI Ethical Principles and six tenets to steer responsible AI, while its 2026 AI strategy prioritizes speed. GAO surveyed 10 components on 10 selected use cases, and a majority reported at least initial moves to set up oversight and apply the tenets.

GAO’s request for congressional action centers on two prior recommendations. The first is that DOW spell out which organizations handle specific AI collaboration duties. The second calls for assigning an owner and a timeline for identifying its AI workforce. The review stems from a provision in the Senate report accompanying the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

The findings follow earlier GAO work on federal AI procurement challenges. That review named the department among agencies whose internal policies bar collecting acquisition lessons learned.