The Contracting Experience - Episode 78: Using AI for Acquisition

In this episode of The Contracting Experience, host Rob Lorton sits down with Ryan Connell, Assistant Director of the Rapid Acquisition Team within the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO). They explore the rapidly evolving landscape of using Artificial Intelligence to modernize and streamline Department of War acquisitions. Ryan discusses the massive success of AcqBot, an AI tool now utilized by over 70,000 users to generate contracting documents, and highlights how the future lies in connected AI workflows rather than standalone tools. He explains that while data readiness and security are critical, users can achieve significant results right now with just a few solid templates in safe environments. The conversation also touches on the changing dynamic with industry partners, noting that while contractors use AI to write proposals, the government can leverage AI to assist in evaluating them by asking pointed questions—ensuring the human remains the final decision-maker. For contracting professionals eager to lean into this new technology, Ryan emphasizes that the most important skills to develop are curiosity and problem-solving. He encourages the workforce to take just five minutes to experiment with available tools and shares a thought-provoking vision of the future, where AI could fundamentally overhaul the entire FAR process. If you would like to share feedback on the podcast, please submit via thecontractingexperience@gmail.com. Register at https://www.dvidshub.net/ to access transcripts of the podcast.