Secret Service Forms Internal AI Working Group

The agency is assembling a ten-member team to address the rising volume of threats to its protectees.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Secret Service Forms Internal AI Working Group

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The U.S. Secret Service is launching an internal 10-member AI working group to manage the surge in threats against protectees. The agency intends to integrate advanced AI tools to correlate disparate data sources for improved security outcomes.

Why it matters

The agency faces a more than 40 percent increase in threats since 2025, recording 10,000 incidents since January 2026. By prioritizing federal AI experts over external contractors, officials aim to modernize investigative and protective capabilities.

The Secret Service currently oversees facial recognition and license plate recognition tools to process investigative data. The new 10-member working group will prioritize federal oversight of AI development over external contracting models.

The players

Chris Kraft

He serves as the Secret Service chief information officer and chief AI officer, and he previously led the Department of Homeland Security AI Corps.

The details

The agency embeds AI specialists into rotation-based groups to tackle specific mission challenges and utilizes live demonstrations to gain authorization for deployment. Chief Information Officer Chris Kraft anticipates these advancements will lead to the deployment of personal AI assistants for agents by 2030.

January 2026: Tracking began for the 10,000 recorded protectee threats.
December 2025: Chris Kraft was appointed permanent Secret Service CIO.
November 10, 2026: Chris Kraft is scheduled to speak at the Homeland Security Summit in McLean, Virginia.
2030: Projected deployment date for personal AI assistants for agency agents.

The Tech Race

The formation of this team follows a pattern set by the DHS AI Corps, which aims to centralize federal expertise in emerging technologies. This move signals a shift from relying on external contractors to developing internal technical capabilities to maintain national security advantages.

This transition toward internal AI expertise suggests a faster adoption of agency-wide investigative tools to process large volumes of security data. Users and taxpayers may see increased efficiency in protective operations as the agency reduces reliance on external third-party software contracts.

The takeaway

The Secret Service is institutionalizing AI as a core component of its protective and investigative mission. By building internal teams, the agency aims to sustain long-term technological agility against a rapidly evolving landscape of security threats.

What happens next

Chris Kraft will participate in an AI panel at the 2026 Homeland Security Summit, held at the Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia, on November 10, 2026.