Summer Myatt
Modernization is a major priority for the federal government in today’s digital world, but hurdles like slow bureaucratic processes and administrative red tape can sometimes stand in the way of rapid innovation.
In a new video interview with Executive Mosaic, Aaron Weis, managing director of technology at Google Public Sector, shared the technologies he thinks could be vital in advancing modernization initiatives across the government landscape.
“I think there’s a number of emerging technologies that are coming over the horizon that have the opportunity to help the government solve their most difficult problems. And they come in many shapes and sizes, not just in the realm of cloud,” the four-time Wash100 Award winner said in conversation with Executive Mosaic’s Summer Myatt.
One such technology is artificial intelligence, which Weis said “we have to figure out how to leverage and use ethically while at the same time using it for its maximum potential.” Another technology Weis highlighted is global mesh networks which can support global cloud service providers and advance initiatives like JADC2.
An emerging capability Weis was particularly passionate about during his nearly four years as chief information officer of the Department of the Navy is low Earth orbit, or LEO, satellite communications.
“That’s a potential game changer in terms of having this sort of infrastructure independent ability to communicate and an infrastructure independent ability to bring capability to the point of need,” Weis said of LEO communications.
But ultimately, these technologies on their own are not nearly as impactful as they are when used in tandem with each other, Weis shared.
“Now, if you start to layer [these capabilities] on top of each other, you get capability built on capability,” said Weis. “So start to imagine global, commercially capable cloud infrastructures that are securing with zero trust riding across these global mesh networks, all interconnected with incredible amounts of resilience, interconnected with a satellite communications capability, high bandwidth that never goes out.”
“And now, start to extrapolate to the next level — start to put compute in orbit on that low Earth orbit platform where you’re talking about latency measured in ten or 15 or 20 milliseconds, and you start to realize there’s some immense capability that’s coming,” he added.
Watch Aaron Weis’ full video interview here, and subscribe to Executive Mosaic’s YouTube channel for more insights from the leaders of GovCon.
