Christopher Kirchhoff Keynote Speaker

Dr. Christopher Kirchhoff is a distinguished expert in emerging technologies and national security, with a career that spans leading innovation at the Pentagon, advising U.S. presidents, and shaping the philanthropic impact of tech giants like Google. Known for his ability to bridge the gap between government and Silicon Valley, Kirchhoff has been at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technology into defense operations and transforming the way governments respond to global challenges.

Kirchhoff founded the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley office, the Defense Innovation Unit X (DIUx), where he led a 67-person team to pilot groundbreaking technologies such as flying cars and microsatellites in military missions. Under his leadership, DIUx pioneered a new acquisition pathway for start-ups that has since been responsible for $70 billion in technology acquisition by the Department of Defense. His work in fostering innovation has transformed how the U.S. military adopts emerging technologies to stay ahead of global threats.

During the Obama administration, Christopher served in several high-profile roles, including Director for Strategic Planning at the National Security Council, senior civilian aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and advisor to Presidential Counselor John Podesta. He led the 8-member Chairman’s Initiatives Team, addressing issues ranging from technological advancements in warfare to the U.S. response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which involved deploying 3,000 service members to contain the crisis.

In addition to his government work, Kirchhoff played a key role in scaling the philanthropy of Google CEO Eric Schmidt, helping grow the organization from 10 to 100 people and expanding its programs to $1 billion. Most recently, he has been involved with special projects at Anthropic, a leading AI research company.

He holds a degree in History and Science from Harvard University and a doctorate in Politics from Cambridge University, where he was a Gates Scholar. His career achievements have earned him the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Service and the Civilian Service Medal for hazardous duty in Iraq.

As an accomplished author and strategic thinker, Kirchhoff penned four landmark government reports, including Hard Lessons: The Iraq Reconstruction Experience, dubbed “the Iraq Pentagon Papers” by The New York Times, and the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence published in 2021. He is the co-author of most recent book, Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War, explores the profound impact of emerging technologies on warfare and defense strategies.