Lt. Gen. (ret.) John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan

Lt. Gen. (ret.) John (Jack) N.T. Shanahan (LinkedIn), United States Air Force, Retired, concluded a distinguished 36-year military career in 2020. In his final role, he served as the inaugural Director of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), where he led efforts to integrate AI across the defense enterprise. Over his career, Jack held a variety of operational and staff positions spanning flying operations, intelligence, policy, and command and control. He commanded at the squadron, group, wing, Agency, and Numbered Air Force levels. As the founding Director of the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team (Project Maven), he pioneered the DoD’s first operational AI program, advancing the use of AI for military operations and intelligence collection and analysis.  

Jack earned a Master of International Studies degree from North Carolina State University in 2022, and serves on the NCSU Shelton Leadership Center Board of Advisors. He is an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) Technology and National Security Program. Additionally, Jack serves on numerous defense- and intelligence-focused committees, boards, and advisory groups, and advises on the use of AI for national security.