Dayton Reporter

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Subcommittee Chair Ann Wagner organized a roundtable in Washington, D.C., involving industry leaders to explore collaborations between private sector firms and the Intelligence Community (IC) for national security through OSINT. Companies such as WireScreen, Recorded Future, the Grist Mill Exchange, and Reality Defender presented their capabilities to the subcommittee.

The roundtable is a part of the subcommittee's ongoing efforts to examine the IC's use of Commercially Available Information (CAI) in crafting open-source intelligence products.

"OSINT is changing the way intelligence is being gathered and analyzed, unlocking new opportunities for the IC," said Chair Wagner. "As a maturing discipline within the IC, we must be cognizant of how data is being purchased across the various agencies and ensure we are standardizing contract structures to meet necessary mission requirements. I appreciate the panel sharing their honest and valuable perspectives to help inform our subcommittee’s work. Open-source Intelligence is vitally important to the intelligence gathering process, and we must understand what is and is not working when doing business with the IC."

During the session, WireScreen highlighted how its platform helps the IC counter influence efforts by the Chinese Communist Party. Recorded Future described how their threat intelligence platform provides broad coverage using AI and extensive threat data. The Grist Mill Exchange offered insights on how the IC can benefit from private sector innovations through commercial data solutions to enhance OSINT missions. Reality Defender discussed its AI detection platform that aids in identifying AI-generated content.

The event highlighted the growing need for the IC to adapt to technological advancements and leverage private sector expertise in developing effective OSINT strategies.