DOD AI oversight council lapsed for nearly a year, GAO finds

The Government Accountability Office released a report Wednesday finding that most of the 10 DOD components surveyed reported taking at least initial steps to implement Responsible AI tenets. The Office of the Chief Digital and AI Officer established the Responsible AI Working Council as the working-level collaborative group for Responsible AI. However, officials said the council did not meet from late 2024 until August 2025.

Four DOD components told GAO they faced Responsible AI implementation challenges during this time that would have benefited from collaboration. Six of 10 surveyed components reported that sharing Responsible AI resources and best practices would benefit their implementation efforts.

The agency said the council resumed meetings in August 2025 but is at risk of lapsing again. Officials said the council does not have a charter that defines roles and responsibilities and specifies meeting frequency. Another lapse could increase the risk of DOD facing Responsible AI implementation issues that it would not have the collaborative capacity to resolve.

CDAO experienced staffing shortages that hindered its ability to take additional actions. Officials said that as of February 2026, only three of the 10 authorized positions for the Responsible AI Division were filled. Responsible AI enables DOD to more quickly adopt AI.

GAO previously made recommendations on issues related to DOD's AI collaboration and workforce. The agency said DOD has not fully addressed those recommendations. Congressional action to ensure that DOD takes steps to fully address those prior recommendations would help position the department to meet its AI goals.

The report was conducted pursuant to Senate Report 118-188 accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.