US Department of Justice Picks Jonathan Mayer as First Chief AI Officer

The U.S. Department of Justice has appointed Jonathan Mayer to serve as the first Chief AI Officer and Chief Science and Technology Advisor. The announcement was made by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland last week.

In his new role, Mayer will provide counsel to the Attorney General and Justice Department leadership, engaging with various departmental components on intricate technical matters.

This includes cybersecurity, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. Additionally, Mayer will lead efforts to enhance the department's technological capabilities, advising on technical talent acquisition to address future challenges effectively.

“The Justice Department must keep pace with rapidly evolving scientific and technological developments in order to fulfill our mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights,” said Attorney General Garland.

“Jonathan’s expertise will be invaluable in ensuring that the entire Justice Department — including our law enforcement components, litigating components, grantmaking entities, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices — is prepared for both the challenges and opportunities that new technologies present,” he added.

Mayer has been working at Princeton as an Assistant Professor for the last six years. He is a computer scientist and has a Ph.D. from the Stanford University Department of Computer Science and a law degree from  Stanford Law School.

Previously, he also served as the technology advisor to U.S. Senator Kamala Harris in 2017 and 2018 and as the Chief Technologist of the Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau.