Dive Brief:
- Wednesday, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced he is establishing a Defense Innovation Advisory Board to help advise the Pentagon on the latest trends in technology.
- Carter tapped the executive chairman of Alphabet Eric Schmidt, Google's former CEO, to lead the Board.
- With a dozen individuals from the public and private sector, the board will advise the Pentagon on topics like rapid prototyping, product development and business analytics.
Dive Insight:
Tech companies and the government have been at odds lately, especially as the encryption battle between Apple and the FBI has intensified over the last few weeks. Carter is visiting tech companies in Silicon Valley and Seattle this week as part of ongoing efforts to recruit their help in federal cybersecurity efforts.
The massive Defense Department is not exactly known for its flexibility, so the board will advise the Pentagon on how to use technology in more innovative and efficient ways. (Think mobile applications and cloud technology). The DoD emphasized that the board will not be involved in military operations or strategy.
Earlier Wednesday, the Pentagon said it plans to invite hackers to test the cybersecurity of some public U.S. Defense Department websites. "Hack the Pentagon,” as the program is being called, would be the first-ever such program offered by the federal government.
