Outspoken with Shana Cosgrove · 2026-05-11 · 39 min
Send us Fan Mail Still Here: The Relentless Incrementalist with Dan Folliard, Former Chief Digital and AI Officer at USSOCOM Host Shana Cosgrove welcomes listeners to Outspoken and interviews Dan, whom she met at the NDIA Emerging Tech Conference, about accelerating adoption of AI and digital capabilities across defense through practical, solution-focused partnerships. Dan recounts 20 years in government service, including roles in the Secretary’s immediate office, helping stand up OSD’s Chief Digital and AI Officer organization, and serving as Chief Digital and AI Officer at SOCOM, where he focused on execution and translating technology value to senior and mid-tier leaders. They argue digital transformation is largely cultural, requires trustworthy data governance, and should prioritize collapsing slow decision cycles with probabilistic, timely answers. Dan advocates “relentless incrementalism,” greater IT investment, and treating data/AI as a strategic warfighting advantage, while also stressing public support, career frameworks, and maxims like being a “get stuff done” person. Quotes [5:03] "The distinction in my mind is, like you said, do we have a vector nationally?
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