In announcing the appointment of Aneesh Chopra as the nation's first chief technology officer (CTO) in April, President Barack Obama said Chopra would "promote technological innovation to help achieve our most urgent priorities." So far, Chopra's federal policy focus has been on leveraging information technology to revamp health care, education, and the energy infrastructure.

Chopra works within the Office of Science and Technology Policy under presidential science adviser John Holdren but also directly advises the president on technology policy--a new role in the executive branch. His job is distinct from that of Vivek Kundra, the nation's chief information officer (CIO), who provides oversight of the government's information-technology contracts and efforts to make the federal government more open and efficient.