The finalists for WashingtonExec’s 2024 Pinnacle Awards were announced Sept. 20, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 21.
Next is Ron Keesing, chief artificial intelligence officer at Leidos, and finalist in the Artificial Intelligence Executive of the Year, Public Company,category. Here, he talks about recent achievements, shares career advice and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2024?
My biggest achievement this year is being named Leidos’ first Chief AI Officer and driving Trusted Mission AI as a key part of our broader strategy. I’ve also led the growth and maturation of our risk-based AI Governance practice, which I believe is essential to scaling AI responsibly in complex organizations. I’ve spent a lot of time sharing our insights with customers as they build out their own AI Governance practices.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
As we all race to apply the latest AI capabilities, we face a stubborn truth – the AI we build is only as good as the data we provide it. That’s why I’m focused on moving forward with AI Ready data. This isn’t about solving every data problem within an Enterprise – it’s about defining and investing in a layer of data products that are of sufficient quality to provide a substrate upon which we can build the AI capabilities we all envision.
Another key focus area for me is external partnerships. The pace of AI investment and innovation is staggering, and it’s also a major potential source of competitive advantage for our nation. Our customers desperately need help in harnessing this emerging technology, integrating security and trust as well as the mission understanding to work seamlessly with legacy systems. That’s why I’m going to be spending a lot of time and energy developing deep technical partnerships with leading emerging technology companies, like our recent collaborations with Sourcegraph and Moveworks.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
It may sound cliché, but it’s true – stick with your passion. I’ve been working in AI for over 30 years, through periods when it felt like technical backwater to today, where it’s at the center of every conversation. It’s a field that’s fascinated me since I was young, and the technical knowledge and perspective I’ve gained through a career spent doing work I care deeply about continues to be an asset every day.
Fun Fact: What is something about you that most people do not know about?
I love hiking and mountain climbing. A few summers ago, my wife and our younger daughter joined me in hiking the John Muir trail, a 200+ mile trek from Yosemite to the top of Mount Whitney.