AI Accelerates U.S. Intelligence Work, Gabbard Says

AI Accelerates U.S. Intelligence Work, Gabbard Says \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says artificial intelligence is streamlining U.S. intelligence operations by speeding document review and freeing up analysts. She highlighted AI’s role in accelerating the release of JFK and RFK assassination records. Gabbard is reshaping the intelligence community with reforms and task force initiatives.

Quick Looks

• AI tools are streamlining document analysis and internal workflows in U.S. intelligence.
• Gabbard says AI helped declassify JFK, RFK documents faster than expected.
• AI replaces manual page-by-page document reviews and HR tasks.
• Gabbard supports leveraging private-sector tools over building government systems.
• She aims to shift analysts’ focus back to core intelligence duties.
• A new task force is studying reforms across 18 U.S. spy agencies.
• Gabbard dismissed two officers seen as opposing President Trump.
• DEI programs eliminated and President’s Daily Brief staff moved under tighter control.

Deep Look

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the pace and efficiency of U.S. intelligence operations, according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. In remarks delivered Tuesday at the Amazon Web Services Summit in Washington, D.C., Gabbard described AI tools as essential to modernizing America’s sprawling intelligence apparatus and freeing up professionals to focus on critical analysis and field collection.

Gabbard emphasized that when applied responsibly, AI can reduce operational costs, eliminate bureaucratic slowdowns, and accelerate the pace of intelligence processing — a long-standing frustration of hers during her time in Congress. “The slow, outdated pace of intelligence analysis was something I saw firsthand. AI is helping us fix that,” Gabbard told the audience of technologists and national security professionals.

One of the most tangible examples of AI’s impact has been in the high-profile review of classified government documents related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy. On the orders of President Donald Trump, Gabbard’s office has overseen the release of tens of thousands of pages of historical records. What once would have taken years of manual labor was significantly accelerated through AI.

AI software scanned and sorted through vast volumes of documents, identifying sensitive material that should remain classified and flagging pages for expedited release. “Instead of having people go through every single page one by one, we’ve been able to do this work much faster with AI,” Gabbard said. Experts had previously estimated the process would span many months, if not years.

This technological evolution, Gabbard explained, is part of a broader strategy to reduce redundancy in the intelligence community and reprioritize human capital. Tasks like human resources management, basic data intake, and document triage are increasingly being handled by automated systems, allowing trained analysts and field officers to focus on core intelligence duties.

“How do we take advantage of the tools already available—mostly in the private sector—to help our intelligence professionals focus on what only they can do?” she asked. “That’s where our attention needs to be.”

Gabbard, who oversees all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies as DNI, has made clear that she intends to restructure how America’s spy agencies operate. Since taking office earlier this year, she has launched a task force to study reforms to operations and declassification protocols. The initiative is part of her broader pledge to modernize the intelligence ecosystem with an emphasis on transparency, efficiency, and adaptability in an AI-driven world.

But Gabbard’s tenure hasn’t been without controversy.

In recent months, she has taken several bold and politically charged actions that have drawn both praise and criticism. She fired two veteran intelligence officers, reportedly due to internal opposition to President Trump’s national security agenda. The move was seen by some insiders as a political purge.

Gabbard has also dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across multiple agencies — a decision that reflects her belief that identity-based initiatives detract from mission readiness and intelligence objectivity. Critics argue that these rollbacks harm workforce morale and representation.

Another of her early moves was to relocate and centralize the staff responsible for preparing the President’s Daily Brief (PDB) — the top-secret intelligence document given to the president each morning. By moving the PDB team under her direct control, Gabbard is exerting greater influence over the content and flow of presidential intelligence, ensuring closer alignment with the administration’s national security priorities.

The shift toward AI and streamlined control is seen by Gabbard allies as an effort to drag the intelligence community out of what they describe as a Cold War-era mindset and into a data-driven, high-speed 21st century. Supporters point to increased responsiveness and potential cost savings as proof that her changes are working.

Still, national security experts caution that AI adoption in intelligence must be approached carefully. Overreliance on automation can introduce bias, overlook nuance, and lead to oversights in areas where human judgment remains crucial. “AI should be a tool, not a crutch,” said one former senior analyst, noting that ethical safeguards and human oversight are essential in intelligence work.

As the intelligence community adapts to an era where data volume and complexity continue to skyrocket, Gabbard’s reforms — particularly her emphasis on AI integration — may set the stage for long-term institutional change. Her leadership is defining a new era of intelligence that seeks to combine private-sector speed with national security precision.

Whether her approach leads to lasting efficiency or sparks deeper division within America’s spy agencies will depend on how effectively the balance between innovation and institutional integrity is managed in the years to come.

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