NASA on Monday named David Salvagnini the agency's first chief artificial intelligence (AI) officer, an extension of his current role as chief data officer.
U.S. Space Agency Administrator Bill Nelson said Salvagnini will lead “NASA's efforts to guide the responsible use of AI in space and on Earth to benefit all humanity.”
Mr. Salvagnini will be responsible for coordinating the strategic vision and plan for the use of AI across NASA, supporting the development and risk management of tools, platforms, and training, and working to drive AI innovation.
In expanding its capabilities, Salvagnini will continue to collaborate with other government agencies, academic institutions, industry partners, and other experts to ensure NASA remains on the cutting edge of AI technology.
Salvagnini joined NASA in June 2023 after more than 20 years in the intelligence community as a technical leader. Prior to his role at the space agency, he served as director and chief architect of the Architecture and Integration Group in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, according to a NASA release.
Salvagnini led enterprise-level IT research and development, engineering, and operations driving data, IT, and artificial intelligence programs. He served his 21 years in the Air Force, retiring in May 2005 as a communications and computer systems officer.
Prior to Salvagnini's appointment, Kate Calvin, NASA's chief scientist, served as NASA's acting director of AI.
How is NASA using AI?
At NASA, we support missions and research projects across NASA, analyze data to uncover trends and patterns, and benefit humanity by developing systems that can autonomously support spacecraft and aircraft. Various AI tools have been in use for decades.
The use of AI can help sift through Earth science images to identify regions of interest, retrieve data on planets beyond our solar system from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, and schedule communications from the Mars rover Perseverance over deep space networks. This ranges from settings to settings.
AI tools can automate time-consuming processes such as program and project reviews, allowing NASA to streamline decision-making, conserve resources, and maximize the potential of its workforce.
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Date first uploaded: May 14, 2024 21:34 IST
