2023 Rising Star: Conrad Stosz

From overseeing teams of software developers in the private sector to bringing a digitally-minded security perspective to his current White House role, Conrad Stosz, the director of artificial intelligence in the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer, has brought the experience from his background to bear on the federal government’s technological policy demands.

Prior to his government career, Stosz, holding both a M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. in International Relations from Boston University, worked in a startup setting overseeing the development of artificial intelligence software tools. 

Eventually, Stosz pivoted into the public policy realm, serving as a fellow for the Defense Innovation Board, where the software tools he developed were geared toward data analytics and sciences for the Open Source Enterprise within the Central Intelligence Agency’s Directorate of Digital Innovation. 

Following his time in the role of AI policy advisor for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and oversight of a multi-billion dollar intelligence budget while working as a staff member for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, he landed in the White House OFCIO. In his current position, Stosz has focused on developing policy to help advance federal agencies’ usage of AI systems to both improve customer experience and support agency missions, while protecting the public from AI risks.

His work advancing AI policy has come at a time where the technology is becoming increasingly prevalent both within government and in the private sector, and the White House has made significant efforts to bolster the safety and innovation of AI.