The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 13, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place virtually Dec. 8.
Next is Artificial Intelligence Industry Executive of the Year (Public Company) finalist Michael Scruggs, who’s senior vice president of artificial intelligence at SAIC. Here, he talks key achievements, career advice, proud career moments and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2020/2021?
I came to SAIC in February 2021. Like most executives entering a new company, it was a time to listen, ask questions and learn, and I knew I had to do it quickly.
I wanted to know what our customers wanted from data science and artificial intelligence. I was curious to see where gaps may exist in our ability to provide solutions that drive business outcomes. It was important for me to see how our employees felt about what they do, and the impact they drive for our customers and ultimately the nation.
My key objectives for the year were to build a world-class team of AI professionals, focus our AI solutions on the government’s most compelling business challenges, and bring the best of what AI can offer in a consumable, simple and cost-effective business model.
As I reflect on my progress, I would say we have established a beachhead of world-class talent who know how to rapidly operationalize AI so it can be used. I would put our AI team up against any in the world.
We have built an initial set of repeatable AI solutions through organic development and acquisition so our customers can start fast. And we are bringing it to market via new business models that allow our customers to accelerate time to value. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in such a short time and we are just getting started.
What are you most proud of having been a part of in your current organization?
I am most proud of my team. They truly inspire me. They move with agility, deeply understand our customers’ mission and have a passion for how to rapidly transition from experimental AI to operational AI. We have a very entrepreneurial culture that promotes creativity and is leading to some really breakthrough AI solutions.
Moreover, we treat diversity and veteran participation as fundamental in how we build our team, and it’s really exciting to be a part of that.
What are your primary focuses going forward, and why are those so important to the future of the nation?
We are focused on three fundamental areas as it relates to AI:
First, we are helping our customers with a universal problem of how they access, secure and govern their data and make it ready for AI. We have provisioned a low-code AI development environment that allows us to rapidly build, test and deploy operational AI in our customers’ run-time and cloud environment of choice.
We are leveraging SAIC’s deep mission understanding and proximity to data to build accelerators that enable our customers to start very quickly, across a multitude of battlespace and C2 domains. Essentially, we are making AI rapidly accessible for the government so the nation can exercise global AI dominance into the future.
Which rules do you think you should break more as a government/industry leader?
That is a very interesting question. By nature, I consider myself to be a rule follower. But many times, there are very clear lines that as leaders we must cross to promote growth, both individually and organizationally. No place is that more evident than in an organization trying to put the power of AI and data science to work. I believe that the value of AI is not in creating the “best” algorithm or the “most complete” data set.
On the contrary, the value is in the speed with which an organization can consume the “output” and infuse it into their business process so decisions can be augmented and potentially automated throughout their business architecture.
Many times, the only way to make this happen is to challenge and change the current business process and traditional way of doing things. I remember the words of a former boss who said that constructive friction is good for an organization — I believe he was politely saying that sometimes you have to break the rules to move forward.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
I am outcome-oriented and as I look back on my career so far, there are two very compelling customer success stories of which I am very proud. The first was where the team I was leading implemented a comprehensive predictive policing solution for a large U.S. city police department. Shortly after putting this solution into production, this particular department was able to reduce violent crimes to such an extent that removed them from the list of most violent cities in the country.
The second customer success story was when I was leading the team that implemented a predictive fraud solution that prevented multiple billions of dollars from being erroneously paid on an annual basis.
Finally, and most proudly, I have had the privilege to work with some great people — and nothing makes me prouder than when I see some of those who have been on my team become incredible leaders in their own right.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
There are three tenets that I have followed throughout my career that have helped me. The first is to always stay intellectually curious. The world moves fast, and we need to continuously invest in ourselves. AI is no exception, so never ignore an opportunity to learn something new.
The second is to embrace change. We know that constant change is one of the truisms we know will never change. So, I recommend finding opportunities through applied AI to lead change and make it constructive.
Third, the world of AI needs leaders who can help traverse the chasm between AI technology and the outcomes it is expected to drive. Begin with the desired end in mind, not the technology.