{"id":12709,"date":"2026-06-17T18:35:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/want-to-join-nga-bring-ai-skills-agency-leader-says\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T18:35:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:35:39","slug":"want-to-join-nga-bring-ai-skills-agency-leader-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawahsolutions.com\/range\/want-to-join-nga-bring-ai-skills-agency-leader-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to join NGA? Bring AI skills, agency leader says"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency rebuilds its workforce after last year\u2019s DOGE cuts, job applicants need to bring some AI proficiency, the agency\u2019s associate operations director said Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re hiring now, and every single new person we hire has to prove some capability of AI and data management,\u201d Navy Rear Adm. Michael Baker said at the Defense One <\/em>Tech Summit. \u201cEvery single new hire has to go through AI and data management training.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just the new employees, Baker said: \u201cEvery single old hire has to go through AI training and data management so that all of us are operating inside of the reality of what this ecosystem is.\u201d<\/p>\n

NGA leaders have grand visions for weaving AI into the agency\u2019s operations. For example, officials are exploring its use for human resources tasks, a move Baker said would take \u201cthe burden off of the operator.\u201d (Recently, a deputy director of human development at NGA expressed fears that employees would get so dependent on AI that their skills would atrophy.)<\/p>\n

Baker said he uses an AI agent at work.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a real ideal is, in the future, that agent is also helping to train me.\u201d Baker said. \u201cWe’re working together as we go back and forth to think through a problem. That’s been the power of, really, this agentic AI, generative capabilities that you can have as you’re thinking through things \u2026 In the past, maybe you are using the machine to help you understand history. We’re moving to the place where I’m using the machine to help me try to predict and understand the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Navy admiral said AI agents might eventually be used for high-level strategic planning, and said it could be used to navigate the \u201cinsatiable requirements that the intelligence community\u201d demands when calculating risk.<\/p>\n

Baker said it\u2019s a balancing act when adopting that technology, and said he wants the agency to rapidly innovate but also wants to be mindful of security and avoid \u201cchaos.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is the complex pace that we’re in,\u201d Baker said. \u201cThat’s a really hard challenge for leaders, but it’s a pretty fun space to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n

NGA currently has about 14,500 civilian, military and contract employees, according to its website. It\u2019s not clear how many people left in the Trump administration\u2019s rush to reduce intelligence-community headcount by thousands of workers last year. Employment figures for the community\u2019s largest agencies are classified, Reuters has reported.\n\n<\/svg><\/p>\n<\/div>\n