A Sixteenth Member of the U.S. Intelligence Community
With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2002, the U.S. intelligence community gained its fifteenth member.
Last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) became the sixteenth member.
“This designation does not grant DEA new authorities, but it does formalize the long-standing relationship between the DEA and the IC,” according to a February 17 news release from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
With thoughtful policy action, it is still possible to build systems that are fair, transparent, and accountable, and to earn the public trust that will ultimately determine AI’s future. We hope policymakers are ready to act.
Procurement is not merely an administrative function—it is how AI enters government and the first line of defense for responsible AI in the public sector.
Responsible AI starts with who is in the data, who is at the table, whose needs shape the outcome, and who is responsible when it falls short.
There is no question this is a Big Deal. If you are a university or research lab, or aspire to work in one, or are simply an enthusiast of federally-funded research, what’s next will matter.