David Salvagnini Appointed As NASA's First Chief AI Officer

NASA has appointed David Salvagnini as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, expanding his current responsibilities as the Chief Data Officer.

The US’ space agency chief Bill Nelson said Salvagnini will lead “NASA’s efforts to guide the agency’s responsible use of AI in the cosmos and on Earth to benefit all humanity.”

Salvagnini, tasked with aligning the strategic vision and planning for AI usage at NASA, will advocate for AI innovation, overseeing the development and risk management of tools, platforms, and training programmes.

Salvagnini joined NASA in June 2023, bringing over 20 years of technology leadership experience in the intelligence community.

Before his position at NASA, he worked at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the director of the architecture and integration group and chief architect, according to a NASA release.