A.I. & Predictive Analytics and Artificial Intelligence with Stan Smith of Gradient AI

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INTRO

On episode 3 of the InsurTech Geek Podcast talking all things Predictive Analytics and Artificial Intelligence with the CEO and Founder of Gradient AI, Stan Smith.

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INTERVIEW

JAMES: Alright greetings everybody! I hope you are doing well out there and InsureTech land. This is James Benham. The InsurTech geek and we are here to talk about predictive analytics with one of the guys who knows his stuff about predictive analytics. Mr. Stan Smith, he is wicked smart. He is from the Boston area and Stan is joining us a remote, so he is driving in this car right now, got some windshield time. Though we do an interview. Stan, how are you doing today?

STAN: Hey James, thanks for having me here.

JAMES: Thanks for joining us. I appreciate it and I certainly appreciate you taking some windshield time and dedicating it to talking about all things InsureTech in particular predictive analytics. Now, look, I always like talking about tech. I like talking about the people behind the tech, and you are one of those people. So just tell all the listeners out there, where are you born and raised, what got you into insurance and tech? What is your background?

STAN: So, I am a military brat, Navy brat, born in Florida, Pensacola, Florida. Moved all around the country. My dad retired in the Winland, so we sort of settled up in high school in Boston. Went to school up here. This is my home now and just got into software a long time ago. This is my 6th startup and I founded 3 of them. And I have done different things. But, about 20 years ago, the 1st startup that I got involved in what was called Machine Learning back then now called AI, cause it is sexy now. But back then it was the same stuff. But I saw what it could do and what got me in insurance, I looked at the insurance space. I realized insurance needed some changes, some great opportunities to help companies do better. But also, it was a challenge because a lot of companies are not willing to share their data with anybody. They are very protective of their core asset, which is their data, which I understand. So, it makes it kind of challenging, but an opportunity as well.

JAMES: Awesome. And what were all the different startups you are involved in 6, you co-founded 3. And what were the different types of businesses that you built over the years?

STAN: Okay. So, there was a manufacturing software company for a sort of computer integrated manufacturing. There was a computer - aided design company, there were a couple of product lifecycle management companies, and then the machine learning - based company was like a supply chain. So, a supplier management company for managing tens of thousands of global suppliers. A lot of big companies use and using machine learning to help them predict future performance and also future bankruptcies of their supply chain so they could manage their suppliers more effectively. And 2 out of those 6 went public. So, it has been kind of an interesting ride, both good days and bad days. All of the above.

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