Dawn Meyerriecks, deputy director of science and technology at the CIA, said the agency aims to be an “early adopter†and partner to industry when it comes to new commercial technology platforms, FCW reported Thursday. She pointed to budget constraints and China’s increased focus on tech research and development as some of the factors that have altered the way the CIA explores new tech capabilities.Â
“We don’t do a lot of applied science. I have to find those people and team with them because we have to be ahead,” Meyerriecks said Thursday at the Intelligence Analytics Summit in Alexandria, Va. “We have to find folks that are always operating in the margins of new businesses, because that’s where we make our bread and butter as an agency.â€
Meyerriecks told conference attendees the need for the CIA and companies to “change the conversation†when it comes to the agency’s access to technology. He also cited the agency’s collaboration with technologists through In-Q-Tel.