Exclusive Interview with DLT Chief Data Scientist, Sherry Bennett and Data Coalition CEO, Nick Hart

Sherry: Welcome Nick Hart, CEO of the Data Coalition.  Thank you for participating in our interview today to help launch DLT’s inaugural Data Innovations newsletter.  Nick, please tell me a little bit about your professional career in government and how you became CEO of the Data Coalition.

On January 1, 2021, the House and Senate overrode President Trump’s veto of H.R.6395, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, rendering the bill law. The FY2021 NDAA includes the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act (NAIIA), one of the most ambitious attempts by Congress to date, seeking to establish the United States leadership in artificial intelligence (AI).

Article by Rick F. van der Lans

The United States spent $554 billion in discretionary contracts for goods and services during FY18, covering the gamut from janitorial services to hand grenades. This number ranks higher than Sweden’s gross domestic product, as well as 165 other countries’ GDP.

Since the release of the final Federal Data Strategy Action Plan (henceforth FDSAP) the end of last year, much has been written about the Federal Data Strategy. However, little has been written to connect the important role it can play in enabling the adoption of AI within the federal public sector.

Is data the new bacon? The world’s most valuable resource? That fuel that powers the digital enterprise?

The most successful companies in the world – Google, Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, etc. – use data to drive business strategies. Being insight-driven isn’t just the domain of consumer tech. Government agencies rely on data to make informed and quick decision making, enhance productivity, improve transparency and build trust with citizens, eliminate fraud and abuse, reduce crime and security threats, and more.