From Action Plan to Mission Impact: Testing for Trust

In this episode of INSA's *From Action Plan to Mission Impact*: *Key Takeaways from America's AI Action Plan* podcast, hosts **Chitra Sivanandam** and **Yevgeniy Sirotin** sit down with **Mark Munsell,** former Chief AI Officer at NGA, to examine what it takes to build trust in AI systems before they are deployed in mission environments. Mr. Munsell discusses the challenges of testing, evaluating, and securing AI models as they become more autonomous and integrated into high-stakes operations. The conversation breaks down how agencies and industry can balance rapid AI adoption with responsible oversight, continuous monitoring, and risk management to ensure these systems remain reliable, mission-ready, and resilient against emerging threats.