Ireland Degges
Open source intelligence, or OSINT, refers to publicly or commercially available information, such as news stories, social media content, broadcast television and more. Rapid digitization and technological change has made this type of data more accessible than ever before, and the Intelligence Community intends to take full advantage of what OSINT has to offer.
At the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Intel Summit on Sept. 19, you will get a closer look into the IC’s OSINT objectives during a panel discussion titled “OSINT and AI: Industry as an Enabler.” This conversation will feature intelligence experts who will evaluate the role of artificial intelligence in making sense of vast amounts of open source data and the ways in which industry can help the IC meet these goals. Keep reading for a closer look at what you will gain from attending this panel.
Meet the OSINT and AI: Industry as an Enabler Panelists
Jim Edwards
Jim Edwards, chief growth officer of SOSi, will moderate the OSINT and AI: Industry as an Enabler panel. He will bring a wealth of experience as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army to the discussion.
Following his 25 years of service, Edwards pivoted to the private sector, beginning his industry career as a business development and capture manager at SOSi, where he was later promoted to vice president of business development. Before rejoining the company in late 2021, he held executive roles at Perspecta, which is now Peraton, and DynCorp.
Dennis Eger
Dennis Eger currently serves as the senior OSINT advisor for the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. He specializes in leadership, program management, administrative activities and training and development.
Prior to assuming his current role, he spent nearly 15 years in the Army, most recently as deputy intelligence director. While holding this position, he advised on personnel, equipment, resourcing and policy for 61,000 intelligence professionals. His other leadership roles within the service branch include director of the Executive Talent Management and Leader Development program, executive officer and executive level senior advisor for mission command, among others.
Brad Ahlskog
Brad Ahlskog, chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency’s Open-Source Intelligence Integration Center, is a strong advocate for OSINT use. He has repeatedly shared his perspective on how the IC can properly leverage this type of data, which he said the IC is “only scratching the surface of.”
During the Intelligence and National Security Summit last August, Ahlskog revealed some of his strategies for achieving OSINT mastery across the IC, which include pushing for interagency collaboration on OSINT collection and analysis and working to “professionalize” this area with training and standards, Federal News Network reported.
Frank Miller
Frank Miller, vice president of intelligence integration at Exovera, will bring an industry perspective to the panel. In his current role, he is responsible for business planning, talent acquisition, capability development and senior client management for the company’s global intelligence portfolio.
Before joining Exovera, Miller served as a director at SOS International and director of partner engagement for the Defense Intelligence Agency. He launched his career in the Army, where he served for over four decades in various command, staff and attache assignments across Asia.
Recent Developments in OSINT
IC OSINT Strategy for 2024-2026
Released in March, the IC’s OSINT Strategy for 2024-2026 identifies four main goals for the IC as it marches forward with OSINT:
- Coordinate open source data acquisition and expand data sharing
- Establish integrated open source collection management
- Drive OSINT innovation to deliver new capabilities
- Develop the next-generation OSINT workforce and tradecraft
The strategy describes AI and machine learning as “significant opportunities to capitalize on the value of OSINT” and notes that the IC is already exploring AI/ML use cases within the OSINT discipline.
CIA’s AI Tool
In September, the Central Intelligence Agency’s Open Source Enterprise Division said it plans to launch a generative AI tool designed to make OSINT data more accessible to analysts, Bloomberg reported.
According to Randy Nixon, the division’s director, the tool will allow analysts to view the original source of each piece of information and offer users the opportunity to “take it to the next level” by asking the AI questions and receiving sourced answers.
What’s Next for OSINT?
Many intelligence leaders have recently shared their thoughts on OSINT and AI use. At last year’s Intel Summit, Rhett Skiles, deputy assistant secretary for cyber and emerging technology intelligence within the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, said during a panel discussion that determining which pieces of information matter should be a primary focus for the IC. Fellow panelist Dana Madsen, deputy director of the IC’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, said AI could help accelerate the process of organizing data.
In May, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence took a step forward in establishing standards for OSINT with the release of its Policy Framework for Commercially Available Information, which highlights the importance of CAI for intelligence missions. In a statement released concurrently, ODNI said one goal of the framework is “to provide a foundation for enhancing privacy and civil liberties protections.”
To learn more about OSINT, its intersection with AI and what its future holds, register to attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Intel Summit.
