On Friday, September 6, 2019, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced the formal establishment of DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. Here is a sampling of the reaction to date:

The White House

Chief Technology Officer of the United States, Michael Kratsios: “Under Secretary Perry’s leadership, the Department of Energy is critical to our Nation’s success in the development and application of artificial intelligence. I commend the Secretary for establishing the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office to coordinate DOE’s vast AI efforts and carry out the mission of the Trump Administration’s national strategy for American leadership in AI.”

Members of Congress

Representative Bill Foster (D-IL): “Developments in artificial intelligence are at the forefront of technological innovations that are changing our country and our world. The Department of Energy and our world-class national laboratories are leading the way, including in the district I represent, where Argonne National Laboratory is building the world’s most advanced supercomputer to power the use of AI for everything from responding to climate change, to fighting cancer, and ensuring our nation’s security. DOE’s new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office will play a crucial role in coordinating the work being done in AI and provide support for the researchers across DOE who are on the frontlines of this transformative work. I applaud Secretary Perry for continuing DOE’s long history of scientific leadership by establishing this new office, and I look forward to working in Congress to support AITO’s work, as well as the continued technological leadership of our national labs.”

Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY): “For decades, our country’s national labs have pioneered the future of scientific advancement, allowing our nation to lead the world in medical and cancer research, cybersecurity, astrophysics, and more, and it’s vital we ensure they can continue to be global leaders through the 21st century and beyond. Artificial intelligence has played a critical role in forwarding these initiatives as well as improving grid resilience, environmental sustainability and everyday life here at home. The Department of Energy’s establishment of an Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office builds on America’s advancement in Artificial intelligence and double downs on its commitment to continuing its important work in this field.”

Representative Pete Olson (R-TX): “As Co-Chair of the House Artificial Intelligence Caucus, I applaud @SecretaryPerry for creating the Artificial Intelligence & Technology Office (ATIO) within @Energy. It will play a critical role strengthening cybersecurity & grid resilience.”

Senator Jim Risch (R-ID): “I applaud the establishment of DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. AITO will play a critical role advancing the United States’ AI strategy, and I have every confidence that the Idaho National Lab will be a key player in AITO’s efforts to strengthen our national security, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure.”

Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN): “I applaud the Department of Energy and Secretary Dabbar for the creation of the new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. This facility will help enable DOE to advance its work in the field of AI and keep our nation at the forefront of innovations,” said Congressman Fleischmann.”

National Laboratories

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director, Thomas Zacharia: “Researchers @ORNL are applying AI expertise and powerful computing resources like Summit – the world’s most powerful AI computer—to address challenges in science, energy, manufacturing, healthcare and cyber-physical security. We look forward to working with DOE’s new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office to drive transformative solutions in science and society.”

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Director, Steven Ashby: “Artificial intelligence promises to be the next major breakthrough in scientific research and development. At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, we’re advancing AI to accelerate scientific discovery, strengthen national security, and improve the nation’s energy resiliency. The Department of Energy’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office will play a vital role in developing this exciting field and applying it to our nation’s most pressing challenges.  This new office will allow DOE and the national laboratories to leverage our collective abilities, maximize our impact and solidify the United States as the global leader in developing and deploying AI solutions.”

Ames Laboratory Director, Adam Schwartz: “Expanded research and development related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a significant priority for DOE, who announced last week the creation of a new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO). Several Ames Laboratory projects are leveraging AI and machine learning for high performance computational chemistry and materials exploration, and we look forward to working with AITO to further accelerate AI’s positive impacts.” 

Fermilab National Laboratory Director, Nigel Lockyer: “Here at Fermilab we are pioneering the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to probe the mysteries of the universe with greater precision. From analyzing tiny neutrino particles to identifying vast cosmic objects, artificial intelligence is helping us better understand the universe every day. We’re pleased to see the Department of Energy leading the way in making use of these exciting new technologies, and we’re looking forward to working closely with the new Office of Artificial Intelligence and Technology.”

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Director, Bill Goldstein: “Along with other National Labs, we at Lawrence Livermore have found AI to be an enabling tool for advancing the DOE nuclear security mission, leveraging the department’s unique high performance computing resources. I look forward to working with the new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office to help ensure we realize the maximum benefit of this rich, rapidly evolving field of research for all the Department’s missions, and the national interest.”

Los Alamos National Laboratory Director, Thom Mason: “DOE’s establishment of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO) brings timely focus to the role of AI in revolutionizing how science is done and accelerating scientific discovery across every discipline. At Los Alamos, these new AI tools contribute to our national security mission as well as everyday applications by strengthening our electric grid, better forecasting earthquakes and disease outbreaks, and enhancing cybersecurity.”

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Director, Brian J. Anderson: “At NETL, AI and ML are indispensable tools and have vastly improved the way we innovate new fossil energy technologies and processes that lower costs, improve safety, reduce environmental risks, and provide cybersecurity. We have only scratched the surface of what we can do with these tools to address America’s energy needs. We are working on applications of AI to better understand and control processes deep in the subsurface for carbon sequestration and safe and efficient unconventional hydrocarbon resource recovery as well as for the design, control, and optimization of the next generation of fossil electricity plants to integrate with renewables on the grid. The establishment of the DOE Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office helps us coordinate across the department, leveraging capabilities in algorithm development and applications of ML efficiently and effectively.”

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director, Thomas Zacharia: “Researchers @ORNL are applying AI expertise and powerful computing resources like Summit – the world’s most powerful AI computer – to address challenges in science, energy, manufacturing, healthcare and cyber-physical security. We look forward to working with DOE’s new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office to drive transformative solutions in science and society.”

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Director, Mike Witherell: “Here at Berkeley Lab, we have more than one hundred cutting-edge research projects using AI to find new scientific solutions to national problems. The DOE's system of National Labs has led the nation in making scientific breakthroughs using applied math and computer science, and we look forward to working with the new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office to make the best use of AI to advance science and technology for the country.”

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility Director, Stuart Henderson: “@JLab_news scientists and engineers are excited about ML and AI to enable better particle accelerators, more efficient particle detectors and streamlined data analysis & we look forward to working w/ DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office in this burgeoning field.”

Brookhaven National Laboratory Director, Doon Gibbs: “At Brookhaven National Laboratory, AI has become an integral part of our most advanced scientific endeavors, and has already led to exciting new research methods and discoveries. We very much welcome the creation of the new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office, which will help to coordinate and leverage the many AI developments across the U.S. Department of Energy complex to ensure they reach their full potential.”

Argonne National Laboratory Director, Paul Kearns: “Argonne National Laboratory will soon welcome hundreds of business and scientific leaders where artificial intelligence converges with manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and transportation. As we prepare for the Artificial Intelligence Innovation XLab Summit in Chicago, it is an opportune time to launch DOE's Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. Engaging artificial intelligence as an innovative tool has been instrumental in helping Argonne and its industry partners in a myriad of areas, such as identifying better ways to diagnose and treat cancer, increasing fuel efficiency, and discovering new materials for solar cells. These are scientific advances at an unprecedented scale, and even greater impact will be possible with the creation of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office. We are excited for this announcement and look forward to working together to accelerate AI discovery and provide pioneering leadership in AI for the nation.”

NNSA Field Office and Site Managers

Savannah River Site Field Office Manager, Nicole Nelson-Jean: “Artificial Intelligence technology offers many excellent opportunities for defense related activities at Savannah River Site. NNSA Savannah River looks forward to partnering with the Department of Energy Office of Artificial Intelligence and Technology.” 

Nevada National Security Site, Field Office Manager, Steven Lawrence: “Today, the Secretary of Energy announced the establishment DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO). Artificial Intelligence, including machine learning, enables and is vital to the missions at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), including diagnostics and big data analytics for stockpile stewardship experimentation, threat reduction tools for weapons of mass destruction, rapid and human-safe radiological threat assessments, and secure and reliable emergency communications.” 

Kansas City National Security Complex, Field Office Manager, Mark Holocek: “The establishment of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office is exciting news for the Kansas City National Security Campus. The AITO will help facilitate increased information-sharing across the Department which will benefit the work we are doing here to improve our products and manufacturing processes through the use of Artificial Intelligence.”

Industry Stakeholders

“The Department of Energy is truly taking a leadership position in their mission to leverage AI as a pillar in driving new solutions to the country through the creation of its new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO),” said Greg Myers, VP of Microsoft Federal. “DOE is at the forefront of many critical areas of innovation for our nation. From advances in virtual and physical infrastructure protection to quantum computing, the department is finding new ways to engage citizens and conquer problems once thought unsolvable. We look forward to our continued partnership and supporting them in furthering their critical mission.”

“At Dell we recognize that progress lies at the intersection of technology and humanity and there are few places this is more evident than in the advancements made possible through artificial intelligence. We’re pleased to see action on AI being taken with DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO),” said Cameron Chehreh, COO, CTO and VP of Dell Technologies Federal. “AI has countless benefits that serve a crucial role in supporting the DOE’s mission, from bolstering our energy grid to powering smarter cities that benefit both citizens and our environment. But these possibilities require starting with the right foundation – the processing power of CPUs and GPUs on AI-ready servers, required tools and frameworks, and necessary platforms like Kubernetes.”

“Cerebras Systems is proud to support the DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO). By formally recognizing the importance of Artificial Intelligence – and setting up an office dedicated to advancing AI and the technologies surrounding AI – DOE continues its long tradition of pathbreaking work in the science and the technology that underpin the US economy,” said Andrew Feldman, CEO and Founder of Cerebras Systems. “By adding a focus on AI to their existing leadership in supercomputers, the DOE and its AITO, provide a playbook for scientific discovery and for harvesting the cascade of benefits that accrue to invention.”

“The brain is the final frontier in medicine and progress has been challenging. This is especially true for traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s, and other brain diseases. Our traditional approaches to diagnosis and treatment are not working,” said Dr. Geoffrey Manley Co-Director of Brain and Spinal Injury Center at the University of California, San Francisco. “I believe that the artificial intelligence and high performance computing capabilities of the DOE has the potential to revolutionize brain science and help us find new treatments for these devastating brain diseases. I applaud Secretary Perry for his vision.”

“I commend Secretary Rick Perry and his outstanding team at the Department of Energy for establishing the new Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office,” said Sandy Weill, Chairman of the Weill Family Foundation. “We are excited to partner with the Secretary and the DOE to utilize artificial intelligence to tackle neurological diseases, including concussions and TBI.  Together, we can make a meaningful difference in countless lives and this new office can really be a model of what a public/private sector collaboration is all about. We look forward to its very bright future.”

National Security Stakeholders

President and CEO, Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, Morgan Smith: “We applaud the Department’s commitment to exploring the development, delivery, and adoption of artificial intelligence technology by establishing this office. Accelerating and better focusing our adoption of proven and developing technologies will further enhance our ability to deliver our national security mission at Pantex and Y-12. We firmly believe that artificial intelligence has great potential to improve and modernize our manufacturing and production operations in areas such as predictive maintenance, in-process monitoring, real-time process adjustments, and data analytics.”

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, NNSA Operations and Programs, Senior Vice President, Wallis Spangler: “The benefits of artificial intelligence are huge, with the potential to transform many industries, including the important work we do for national security.  SRNS applauds Secretary Perry for his vision in the creation of DOE’s Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office.”

The Media

Jonathan Vanian, FORTUNE Eye on A.I.: “The Department of Energy’s A.I. office. The U.S. Department of Energy created the DOE Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office, which is intended to coordinate the department’s A.I. projects as part of the White House’s national A.I. strategy. Energy Sec. Rick Perry said in statement that the new office would “concentrate our existing efforts while also facilitating partnerships and access to federal data, models and high performance computing resources for America’s AI researchers.”

Brandi Vincent, Nexgov: “The Energy Department established its own Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office to coordinate and accelerate the agency’s enterprise efforts to leverage the emerging technology, Secretary Rick Perry revealed at a summit in California Friday. The vision and mission of the newly-unveiled office match that momentum and are part of the agency’s – and the administration’s – recent efforts to ensure that America maintains its position as an AI leader on the international landscape. According to its mission, the office will support the agency in synchronizing all of its department-wide AI activities, facilitate partnerships and accelerate the delivery of AI capabilities.”

Jane Edwards, ExecutiveGov: “Energy Secretary Rick Perry has announced the formation of a new office to help coordinate the Department of Energy’s research-and-development work on artificial intelligence. The Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office was established as part of the Trump administration’s call for a national strategy to advance the development of AI technologies, DOE said Friday. The department is using AI to improve national security, grid resilience and cybersecurity, among other initiatives.”

MeriTalk: “Energy Secretary Rick Perry has announced the formation of a new office to help coordinate the Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced on Sept. 6 that the Department of Energy (DOE) plans to stand up the DOE Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO). The new office will serve as the ‘coordinating hub’ for all AI-related work done across the agency, and is being created ‘as part of the President’s call for a national AI strategy.’ According to the AITO website, the office’s mission will include: Accelerating the delivery of AI-enabled capabilities; Scaling the department-wide development of AI; Scaling the impact of AI on the department; and synchronizing AI activities to advance DOE’s core missions, expand its partnerships, and support American AI leadership.”

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