Mike Raker joined Maximus as its new CTO in 2024, and his impact was felt almost immediately across the company. In particular, one of his first initiatives was to launch two capability accelerators — one for artificial intelligence and machine learning and one for customer experience — that developed technology roadmaps to impact all business segments.
In alignment with the new presidential administration, Raker focused in 2025 on unique applications and implementations of AI to help agencies deliver services more efficiently and more effectively.
“It is clear agencies are being tasked with finding ways to deliver services to the right person at the right time, which aligns perfectly with what Maximus has been doing for years,” he said. “We know agency leaders are excited about implementing new technologies, like AI, to unlock their full potential.”
Maximus has been constantly recognized and honored for its work helping agencies use technologies in better ways, including several Service to the Citizen Awards for its excellence in service delivery. Notably, Maximus was named to Fortune’s 100 Most Innovative Companies of 2025 list, alongside companies such as Apple, Amazon and Nike.
One way Raker’s team helped agencies implement AI solutions to meet the mission has been document processing and managing forms. The company’s Intelligent Document Processing work helped several agencies meet missions created by a surge in the need for government services.
An example is the work Maximus has done with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the use of AI to accelerate application processing for veterans. Through its Veterans Evaluation Services company, Maximus is helping the VA manage a surge of more than 5 million applications to ensure service members receive well-deserved benefits faster. The company’s proprietary AI-powered system processes up to 15 million pages per day, which led to a nine-fold increase in efficiency.
“We’ve reached a pivotal time of technological transformation for government agencies, and Maximus is leading the way when it comes to driving more efficiency through AI,” Raker said. “We’ve enjoyed great success by combining our unique strategies and experience with best-in-class AI technology to better support our agency partners.”
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Looking at 2025 and beyond, Raker said he is focused on what he terms the “next generation of CX” for federal agencies that will more closely resemble interactions with consumer-focused companies, like airlines or online retailers.
“The next generation of CX is inherently about what we don’t do today,” he said. “The foundation of this future for agencies is harnessing the power of their data, understanding how the public is seeking services, and developing a strategy to meet them where they are.”
Raker said data is critical because it provides the building blocks for a CX strategy as agencies can use AI and ML technologies to maximize their data to find trends and patterns from interactions and use those advanced analytics to better serve the public.
“Modern AI-based solutions change the game because they analyze data and provide answers much faster,” he said. “The speed is what sets AI and ML apart, and agencies can take advantage of the fact these technologies are always learning based on data.”