The CNA Corporation (CNA), a research and analysis nonprofit, is balancing security and innovation through a groundbreaking partnership with cloud consulting company Cloudforce. CNA worked closely with Cloudforce to create a secure, cloud-based environment to deploy LLMs and build custom AI agents for CNA’s research initiatives. The platform, called Morse Code, uses Cloudforce’s proprietary nebulaONE® cloud solution to create AI agents that enhance data analysis for individual projects within seconds or minutes. CNA’s ongoing collaboration with Cloudforce underlines its commitment to advancing national security with cutting-edge technology and serves as a blueprint for government agencies to securely harness the power of LLMs.
CNA is a nonprofit research and analysis organization dedicated to the safety and security of the United States, developing actionable solutions to complex problems of national importance. It operates the Center for Naval Analyses—a federally funded research and development center of the U.S. Navy—as well as the Institute for Public Research. With nearly 700 scientists, analysts, and professional staff, CNA takes a real-world approach to gathering data. Its unique Field Program places analysts on aircraft carriers and military bases and in squad rooms and crisis centers, working side by side with operators and decision-makers around the world. CNA supports naval operations, fleet readiness, and strategic competition. Its nondefense research portfolio includes criminal justice, homeland security, and data management.
CNA’s workforce is passionate about embracing cutting-edge technology. Well over half of the organization’s 700-person staff has military and scientific expertise, and they are eager to incorporate the latest technologies to advance U.S. national security. When large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, became publicly available, CNA employees were excited to explore how such models could enhance data analysis and streamline business and research activities.
CNA has strict security requirements for handling sensitive data, however, and public LLMs posed a potential security risk. The organization began exploring how it could harness the power of generative AI agents in a secure environment. “We wanted a partner to help us to deploy an LLM that is secure and compliant so that it can handle our internal data,” says Gregor Goodman, chief technology officer at CNA. “We needed to balance innovation with security to take advantage of cutting-edge tools in the analysis that we’re providing.”
We wanted a partner to help us to deploy an LLM that is secure and compliant so that it can handle our internal data. We needed to balance innovation with security to take advantage of cutting-edge tools in the analysis that we’re providing.
Gregor Goodman, Chief Technology Officer, CNA Corporation
CNA received a referral to Cloudforce for its extensive experience in the Microsoft Azure ecosystem. Cloudforce quickly impressed the CNA IT team with its technical expertise and passion. “Fifteen minutes into my first call with Cloudforce, I asked my contact, ‘Are you a sales engineer or a solution architect?’” says Goodman. “And he humbly said, ‘I’m the CEO.’ I thought, ‘Oh wow. This guy is taking first-sales calls with new clients. He cares.’”
The CNA and Cloudforce partnership began with a first project to deploy a brand new “landing zone,” a secure cloud structure that allows organizations to deploy applications on Azure for U.S. Government. CNA was deeply impressed with the landing zone, the first one Cloudforce had built in Azure for U.S. Government, so CNA turned to Cloudforce to build out a groundbreaking AI capability.
CNA turned to Cloudforce’s proprietary nebulaONE® platform, a fully managed, private cloud system, to empower its employees to create custom AI agents. CNA and Cloudforce collaborated to deploy nebulaONE® in compliance with CNA’s stringent security requirements. This new platform was called Morse Code, after CNA’s founder, Phillip Morse. With it, CNA can develop generative AI agents that enhance data analysis for specific projects. “We take curated data from business groups and spin it up into its own AI agent for testing,” says Goodman. “Common use cases include literature reviews, idea generation, and pattern recognition within data sets.”
Throughout the journey, CNA’s IT professionals worked alongside Cloudforce to build its internal expertise in the cloud and LLMs. CNA wanted its IT teams to fully understand Morse Code and how to maintain it, and Cloudforce embraced the opportunity to share its technical expertise. The two organizations shared a passion for teaching and learning about technology and built a true partnership. “I’m all about relationship building,” says Rizwan Jan, chief information officer at CNA. “The people at Cloudforce are not just friends now; they’re literally like family.”
With Morse Code in place, CNA is creating project-specific AI agents in seconds or minutes, depending on the parameters. The organization has two to three dozen AI agents in production and testing to support its researchers and analysts. CNA’s IT teams have automated several manual processes, saving employees’ time and reducing their administrative burden. “Year to date, my cyber team is $1 million plus under budget because we’re exploring how AI automation can do mundane, repetitive tasks,” says Jan. “We’re winning from an operational perspective, from a business development perspective, and with the trust we’re fostering externally.”
Year to date, my cyber team is $1 million plus under budget because we’re exploring how AI automation can do mundane, repetitive tasks. We’re winning from an operational perspective, from a business development perspective, and with the trust we’re fostering externally.
Rizwan Jan, Chief Information Officer, CNA Corporation
Morse Code has more than 140 active users so far, and CNA is working with Cloudforce on an ambassador program to expand its user base enterprise-wide. The ambassador program will train employees who can support new users as Morse Code rolls out across the organization, an exciting prospect for CNA’s senior leaders. “CNA’s IT professionals have coordinated across the organization to ensure adequate testing, a democratic access process, and a smooth rollout,” says Katherine McGrady, chief executive officer of CNA. “I couldn’t be more pleased with how this has worked.”
CNA’s IT professionals have coordinated across the organization to ensure adequate testing, a democratic access process, and a smooth rollout. I couldn’t be more pleased with how this has worked.
Katherine McGrady, Chief Executive Officer, CNA Corporation
CNA highlighted its new capabilities for clients and sponsors with an Innovation Day to present AI agents created for real-life scenarios. The organization crafted the data sets, conducted comprehensive testing, and implemented quality control on custom AI agents within a couple of weeks. “We were confident enough to demonstrate these AI agents for our customers,” says Goodman. “The speed and the agility to dream something up and make it happen is unprecedented.”
CNA’s innovative approach to deploying LLMs in a secure data environment is catching the attention of other government agencies and creating new business opportunities in an advisory capacity. The organization is continuing to expand Morse Code’s capabilities for its employees, and is partnering with business units to streamline processes, such as responses to requests for information or for proposals.
The partnership with Cloudforce is at the heart of CNA’s ability to adopt generative AI agents in support of U.S. national security. With an emphasis on training and education, CNA and Cloudforce are empowering CNA researchers and analysts to incorporate Morse Code into their work. “Cloudforce brought the education with the technology and brings the heart along with the brains,” says Jan. “It’s a phenomenal relationship.”
Before joining Cloudforce as Content Specialist, Leslie worked in corporate and ad agency settings, and as owner of her own freelance writer/producer business. Throughout her career, she’s written spots and informercials for the likes of Isaac Hayes, Larry King, Brian McKnight, and Tom Bodett, to name a few. Her passion for inspiring, informing and entertaining also led to several fundraising and awareness video efforts for the Northern Virginia Urban League and Northern Virginia Family Services. As a proud Syracuse University graduate, she also served as Alumni President for the Washington metropolitan area, where she helped establish a scholarship program for area students attending S.U.
Executive Summary Lamar Advertising (Lamar), an out-of-home advertising company serving the United States and Canada, embarked on a multiphase digital transformation that included the creation...
Executive Summary UCLA Anderson School of Management (UCLA Anderson) is pioneering generative AI applications in higher education with AI-powered chatbots designed to enhance learning...
Howard University (Howard), a leading historically Black institution based in Washington, DC, doubled its security score in less than a year after expanding its use of Microsoft Azure. Like many...
