Navy AI Chief Stuart Wagner champions “bits to effect” for rapid AI deployment

Stuart Wagner, Chief Data and AI Officer for the Department of the Navy, discussed the need for rapid cultural and organizational changes to integrate and scale automation initiatives. He emphasized the “bits to effect” cycle, which aims to quickly transform data into actionable outcomes using AI. Wagner highlighted the importance of automating data classification and ensuring clear, non-contradictory rules for agentic AI systems. He introduced the “battering ram” tool for automated data classification and stressed the need for deterministic rules to effectively leverage AI in decision-making processes.