Exclusive: DHS hires first 10 AI Corps members

The Department of Homeland Security has made its first 10 hires for its newly formed AI Corps, according to a release exclusively shared with Axios.

Why it matters: U.S. officials have said that they need more expertise to help determine the best ways to safely leverage artificial intelligence tools within the federal government.

• The new 50-person AI Corps, modeled after the U.S. Digital Service, will study ways to tap AI across DHS's portfolio, including countering fentanyl trafficking, combating online child sexual exploitation and enhancing cybersecurity.

What they're saying: "The interest in it has been phenomenal," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told Axios on Monday.

• "We need that expertise to really fuel our interest in leading the federal government in the safe and responsible deployment of AI to advance our mission."

The following people are joining DHS's AI Corps, according to a press release shared with Axios:

• Sadaf Asrar, a former AI tech expert for the National Center for Education Statistics
• Zach Fasnacht, previously a senior product manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC);
• Pramod Gadde, a founder of several healthcare-related startups, including AI startup Confidante;
• Sean Harvey, former lead for YouTube's trust and safety team focused on global elections and misinformation;
• Jenny Kim, a principal product manager at McKinsey & Co. and an alumna of the DHS Digital Service;
• Babatunde Oguntade, a senior principal data scientist at CACI International, which supported agencies like the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency;
• Christine Palmer, former chief technology officer of the U.S. Naval Observatory;
• Dr. Stephen Quirolgico, who has worked on advanced technology projects at DHS, NIST and DARPA;

• Raquel Romano, a senior director of engineering at Fora and a U.S. Digital Services alumnus; and
• Robin Rosenberger, a director in the Pentagon's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office.

Between the lines: Competition for these roles has been stiff. Mayorkas previously said in April that the department had received over 3,000 applications for the 50 spots.

• The selected new members come from a variety of backgrounds: Some already work in the U.S. government, while others are joining from roles at Big Tech companies, startups and within the research community.
• New flexible hiring practices for AI-related jobs has made it easier for DHS to compete with private sector roles and fast-track new AI Corps hires, Mayorkas added
• "Things move more rapidly, and so we're moving more rapidly, as well, to meet the moment," Mayorkas added.

Go deeper: Homeland Security seeks AI talent from Silicon Valley