By Dr. Randall W. Hill, Jr., Executive Director, USC Institute for Creative Technologies, Vice Dean, Viterbi School of Engineering, Omar B. Milligan Professor of Computer Science (Games and Interactive Media)
The USC Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT) extends its warmest congratulations to Doug Matty, Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer at the U.S. Department of War, for being named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in AI for 2025.
As TIME notes, Matty serves as the senior leader overseeing the Department’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), “from the boardroom to the battlefield.” In July, the Department announced contracts with four frontier AI companies—OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and xAI—worth up to $200 million to accelerate AI adoption. The initiative, guided by Matty, is designed to transform the Department’s ability to maintain strategic advantage over U.S. adversaries.
At ICT, we applaud Doug Matty’s vision and service. We were honored to host his visit to ICT on Feb 18, 2022, to review the future of the U.S. Army M.S-PhD Executive Education, in a plenary discussion.
With more than 30 years of military service as an active-duty officer, and leadership roles across government, academia, and industry, Matty has dedicated his career to strengthening national security through innovation. His recognition by TIME underscores both the importance of AI to our nation’s defense and the impact of his leadership at this pivotal moment. His work exemplifies the spirit of innovation and responsibility that will shape the future of AI and its role in safeguarding our country.
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