July 31, 2025

The $15B AI Platform Blueprint for Leaders to Manage Risk and Unlock Creativity with Skip McCormick

Hosted by

Jay Combs

VP, Marketing at ModelOp

Guest

Skip McCormick

CTO and founder at Angularis AI

Watch Full Episode

In this episode of the Good Decisions podcast by ModelOP, James Combs explores the pivotal choices shaping careers and the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence with Skip McCormick.

Having served as a Navy officer, a CIA intelligence officer for 17 years, and now as the CTO and founder of Angularis AI. His unique background at the intersection of technology, national security, and financial systems provides deep insights into building responsible and innovative AI systems that prioritize transparency and governance.

With a special focus on high-stakes environments - from the military to Wall Street - the discussion centers on AI governance, traceability, and decision-making in both national security and enterprise contexts.

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📚 Expect to Learn

How a career rooted in military and intelligence work led to leading an AI startup
The Critical role of traceability and Transparency in AI Decision-making
Why Skip believes metadata is key to ethical AI Governance
Lessons from building supercomputers for the CIA and innovating in 240-year-old financial institutions
How to drive change in traditional organizations with high-stakes regulatory environments

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⏱️ Episode Breakdown with Timestamps

[00:00:00] - Introduction & Opening Question - James opens with a powerful question about innovating in entrenched systems. He introduces the podcast’s mission and the relevance of decision-making in AI.

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[00:02:56] - Skip’s Background & Naval Academy Journey - Skip shares the pivotal story of how he planned to attend the Naval Academy at age 12.

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[00:10:30] - Transition to Computer Science - How a love for early computing and a surprising exam answer changed his academic path.

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[00:18:20] - Collaborating & Learning through Programming - Discussion on how AI and LLMs are changing how we learn and write code.

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[00:26:30] - Early Use of Tech in the Navy - Using early PCs and writing software as a junior officer aboard ships.

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[00:33:10] - Leadership vs. Management - Skip reflects on leadership styles, self-awareness, and learning to empower others.

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[00:44:50] - Decision to Join the CIA Post-9/11 - A spontaneous decision to join the CIA and the impactful work that followed.

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[00:56:41] - The Importance of Metadata & AI Traceability - Exploring how Angularis AI builds on lessons from intelligence work to support AI governance.

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[01:03:00] - Driving Innovation at BNY Mellon - Skip discusses how he earned trust and drove innovation in a centuries-old financial institution.

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[01:10:15] - Reflecting on Leadership Mistakes - Honest moments about learning to lead better and the importance of humility.

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[01:21:06] - Final Reflections & Personal Favorites - Skip shares his hopes for Angularis’ legacy and his go-to meal to celebrate good decisions.

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🔗 Follow Skip McCormick on:

👉 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/skip-mccormick-872b229/

👉 Company LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/angularis-ai/

👉 Website - https://angularis.ai/

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