The Defense Department's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, a new hub to align disparate AI-centered pursuits across the vast enterprise, officially reached initial operating capacity this week--but much must still be puzzled out before it's totally realized this summer. John Sherman, DOD's recently Senate-confirmed chief information officer, will play a major role in seeing it through. He's taking the office's lead as acting chief digital and AI officer until the department completes its search for the right person to fill this first-of-a-kind position. "In addition to getting the OCDAO up and running for [full operational capacity], rest assured we'll remain laser-focused on our CIO duties--cybersecurity, digital modernization and other areas the department relies on us for," Sherman told reporters during a press call on Wednesday. He and two other senior defense officials shared fresh details about the new unit's establishment and what it's ultimately meant to accomplish.