Army’s Brandon Pugh on AI’s expanding role in cyber defense and offense

Brandon Pugh, Principal Cyber Advisor for the U.S. Army, discussed the impact of AI on cybersecurity strategies, emphasizing its role in both defense and offense. He highlighted the Army’s continuous transformation, focusing on AI and autonomy. Pugh also addressed the critical need for a skilled cyber workforce, stressing the importance of recruitment, training, retention and the development of cyber talent. He mentioned the Cyber Excepted Service (CES) positions as a special hiring authority to quickly acquire necessary cyber talent. Lastly, he identified defense critical infrastructure, including water, electric and gas services for military bases, as a top priority, with ongoing efforts to harden these installations against adversary threats.