Bridging the digital divide: How the CDAO and DIU can empower agencies by adopting AI solutions

Today’s workforce is adapting to a new era of technology in which artificial intelligence, generative AI (GenAI), and machine learning are becoming table-stakes resources and assets. The U.S. government is no exception, with both nuanced opportunities and concerns that these technologies bring. While the Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO) is currently partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Defense Department to enable stronger alignment and scaling of industry advancements, this isn’t new. The CDAO has invested in emerging technologies and AI for decades. Still, the acceleration in today’s environment demands a fresh, hyper-focused approach to accelerate technology adoption, both from agencies and the employees within. 

While the Pentagon established its vision for scaling data and AI solutions, it is up to leaders across departments and units to critically assess skills gaps and identify the necessary training to make this vision a reality. This shift into an adaptable culture of continuous learning will require an intentional effort on the part of all government employees. As the DIU and CDAO bring the adoption of these critical tools forward, they should pay particular attention to the training programs they deploy: 

• Bring employees along at every stage: Clear articulation and reinforcement of “why” — the impact, benefits, risk mitigation steps and adoption expectations.
• Launching rapid upskilling initiatives: Develop multi-pronged training approaches with clear objectives and bite-sized, specialized content to deepen knowledge retention. 
• Implementing continuous learning and development into the departments’ cultural fabric encourages knowledge acquisition across all levels.

Bringing employees along at every stage 

Establishing a strategic and structured learning process is crucial, but this effort will fall short if DoD employees don’t understand their role in bringing the Pentagon’s vision to life. Effective communication is critical. Leaders at every level must clearly and directly outline the benefits of AI and digital upskilling for both the DoD and individual employees. This should be done through broad messages at the top level and curated messages at the unit level. Emphasizing job performance and explaining how these skills could lead to career advancement opportunities will help individuals see the personal benefits. It’s important to outline how each team and their department’s mission benefit from these initiatives, demonstrating the power of individual impact. Above all, leaders must show their teams that they are part of the future vision. Despite any existing skills gap, employees will be given the tools and understanding necessary for success and thriving in this new age of technology, regardless of their current technology exposure.

This cannot be a one-way message or pushed only through traditional, highly curated channels. Leaders must be open to dialogues about any concerns or reluctance team members may have, especially as they relate to firmly founded concerns of national security. Rather than shutting down the conversation, be open to feedback, address the concerns and mitigating factors and show a willingness to test new ideas that surface. 

Celebrating employees actively embracing and championing new technologies goes a long way — and encourages others to aspire to this level of adoption. In the short term, show how bounded cross-unit collaboration can benefit the department, fostering best practices while surfacing new areas where AI and digital tools can be most effectively applied. The key of these groups is to share the skillset and benefits behind the technology utilization, shying away from more content discussions that can muddy the waters of what can be shared and to whom. In the long term, recognition programs, certifications, bonuses or potential career advancement opportunities for completing training serve as critical incentives that drive behavioral adoption.  

Launching rapid upskilling initiatives

Learning and development (L&D) sprints cannot be seen as a one-size-fits-all or one-and-done effort. Studies have shown that it takes approximately five to seven exposures for information to move from short-term to long-term core memory. Likewise, individual employees must understand the direct impact of a change on them and how they fit into a larger technology ecosystem if technology deployment is going to be successful. By deploying a multi-phased, nuanced approach to upskilling, DoD leaders can instill an adaptable culture capable of faster adoption and innovation. 

When considering a holistic training program, leaders must identify clear objectives for each training session and outline clear effectiveness measures. While traditional measures, such as ROI, can impact budget setting, proficiency and effectiveness measures (such as time saved) can facilitate buy-in and openness to participating in the various training modules. 

The first and most typically utilized form of training is foundational courses. These courses are crucial in creating a baseline understanding across all agency or department employees, not just those with limited exposure to emerging technologies. At their core, these courses provide a groundwork overview of the key technologies being deployed; they play an even more critical role in uncovering the “why” — the benefits and expectations of using these tools, the risks involved, and appropriate safeguards in place. Concern about how to use these tools is rife within intelligence organizations, as it should be. By addressing risk up front — what has been identified and how it is appropriately managed, what can and cannot be fed into platforms, and preventative measures that have been put into place — agencies can begin motivating their employees and reaping the benefits of these tools while maintaining their appropriate risk thresholds. 

Rapidity is essential to bringing commercial technology innovations to life within the DoD. With online courses and boot camps already identified, the CDAO and DIU should, likewise, consider deploying a series of microlearning sessions for foundational content to accommodate busy schedules and maximize impact while narrowing the content focus to bite-sized chunks while creating the necessary repetition to amplify retention. These short-form courses fit busy schedules and create the repetition required to create lasting knowledge. 

Role-specific training, tailored to units and specific job functions, is crucial. Not all units will be using the same technology in the same way. Some usages may vary by position and lack relevancy, while other usages or technology specifics may be “need to know.” While role-specific trainings focus on specific technology usage practices, they should go beyond skills training. The best role-specific programs are informed by change impact and change readiness assessments, curating content by identifying the specific changes in day-to-day operations that particular groups will face, the potential degree of impact, and the willingness of that group to adopt the new digital solutions. By uncovering and addressing how each team, department and unit is impacted, leaders can drive faster adoption and knowledge retention, and employees will feel more connected to the vision.

Hands-on learning is a vital and enjoyable aspect of an effective L&D program. It involves providing practical training sessions integrating AI and machine learning related to real-world situations, helping professionals better understand how the information they receive relates to their daily work. Facilitating knowledge-sharing sessions, deploying champions between departments with different digital expertise, and promoting cross-departmental collaboration can further enhance learning and adoption of new technologies. These collaborations also serve as a team-building tool. Additionally, integrating real-world, project-based learning into daily work routines, encouraging participation in hackathons or innovation challenges, and developing initiatives to foster collaboration such as cross-functional teams, cross-group mentorship programs and internal communities of practice for ongoing knowledge exchange, are all valuable strategies for deepening understanding and adoption.

Implementing continuous L&D

The CDAO and DIU’s current push will not be the last. Now is the opportunity to build a culture of adaptability and continuous learning — one that can keep the DoD and other government agencies capable of easily adopting the latest technologies. 

The DoD should implement processes for identifying and evaluating new technology to stay relevant. It also needs to pursue tools that maintain security. Regularly updating training programs to address new solutions can encourage participation in additional training, conferences and workshops. Creating internal knowledge repositories and communities of practice will further support continuous learning and an agile culture. Continuously assessing skill gaps and adjusting programs, partnering with outside industries, and encouraging internal innovation will help establish a standard of continuous learning within the DoD workforce, making them eager to learn and adapt to new technologies as they emerge.

To identify the most compelling AI and digital tools, employees should be encouraged to engage with the technology industry by participating in industry events, conferences and experimentation. By adopting an “industry information collection-only” approach, DoD employees across all levels can feel empowered to drive internal innovation.

With CDAO and DIU partnering to upskill the DoD workforce, a new era of innovation and learning is upon us. It can strengthen individual contributions and, in turn, increase our nation’s technological advantage. Because the rate of change is faster than ever, teams need to be agile and engaged when it comes to upskilling and embracing new solutions to streamline processes. Following the right approach will put our country in a better position to serve and protect its citizens.

Laurin Parthemos is a principal at Kotter.

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