Accenture Federal Services has appointed Garrett Berntsen as Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, according to a post shared by the company on LinkedIn. In his new role, Berntsen will help advance national priorities by aligning mission needs with technology, talent, and strategic partnerships.

“We’re not just implementing AI—we’re architecting the future of how federal agencies deliver the mission,” Berntsen said in a statement.

Before this appointment, Berntsen served as Managing Director at Accenture Federal Services. Prior to joining the company, he was Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer at the U.S. Department of Defense, where he led Advana, the department’s largest data and AI platform.

His public-sector experience also includes serving as Deputy Chief Data and AI Officer at the U.S. Department of State and as Director for Technology and National Security at the National Security Council. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Senior Manager in Deloitte Consulting’s federal practice, supporting digital modernization efforts across the Departments of State, Transportation, and Defense.

Berntsen served five years in the U.S. Army, including two deployments to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger and Airborne Schools and has received two Bronze Stars.

He holds a master’s degree in international economics, with honors, from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and earned his undergraduate degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.