CISA Names Lisa Einstein as AI Director; Quote from Jen Easterly

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has named Lisa Einstein, who most recently served as senior advisor for artificial intelligence at CISA, as its first director of artificial intelligence.

CISA said Thursday that the appointment reflects the agency’s commitment to promoting the responsible use of artificial intelligence to advance cyberdefense missions and to help critical infrastructure operators and owners securely develop and deploy AI tools.

CISA Director Jen Easterly said Einstein has played a key role in helping the agency understand and respond to rapid advances in artificial intelligence, which has significant implications for the security of critical infrastructure and CISA’s cyberdefense mission.

“Beyond her technical expertise, she is an inspiring leader who has rallied colleagues across the agency around a clear and influential vision. I couldn’t be more excited for her to take on this important new role that will help us continue to build AI expertise across our agency and ensure we are prepared to effectively harness the power of AI in the future,” Easterly, a 2024 Wash100 awardee, said of Einstein.

In 2022, Einstein joined CISA as executive director of the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she was a research fellow at the Federation of American Scientists and a Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

Einstein co-founded GNCode and taught physics as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea.