Artificial Intelligence - Parsons Corporation

Reimagining Hospitality: AI At The Heart Of Design, Delivery, And Experience

Emily Espinosa — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:05:00 +0000

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Across the Middle East, the hospitality sector faces unprecedented pressure to deliver projects with speed, precision, and guest-focused innovation. The region’s rapid tourism expansion, especially in Saudi Arabia, has raised expectations around sustainability, operational efficiency, and technologically enabled guest experiences. In this context, AI is no longer a competitive advantage available to a select few. It has become the minimum capability required for anyone aiming to operate, compete, or deliver hospitality assets in today’s market.

More Than A Trend—AI Is Now The Foundation Of Project Delivery

Over the past 5 years leading complex hotel and resort developments, I have noticed that AI-enabled delivery tools have become indispensable. Platforms like Autodesk Revit, Navisworks, and AI-powered clash detection have radically shifted how multidisciplinary teams collaborate. What previously required rounds of manual reviews, coordination meetings, and corrective rework now happens through integrated digital workflows. These workflows minimize error and compress timelines.

Real-time site capture via drones, 360 cameras, and AI-driven progress analytics is redefining transparency. Previously, coordination required multiple site walks. Now, project leaders validate progress instantly and remotely. Industry conversations, such as those featured on the Hospitality Design’s What I’ve Learned podcast and The Urbanist by Monocle, echo this shift. The industry’s new rhythm is digital, immediate, and data-driven.

AI-generated dashboards consolidate schedules, budgets, procurement data, and performance metrics, enabling clearer, faster decision-making. Speech-to-text assistants now handle meeting transcripts and action tracking, freeing teams to focus on strategy rather than administration. On large, multi-phase hospitality developments, this level of automation isn’t optional; it is now central to risk reduction and performance.

AI In The Transition From Delivery To Operations

AI plays a pivotal role in the smooth transition from project delivery to operational readiness. A key strategy in this process is the introduction of a Vendor Management Partner (VMP). This model mirrors the way PMOs and PMCMs manage contractors during construction. By leveraging AI-driven insights, the VMP oversees and coordinates facility management vendors responsible for cleaning, operating, and servicing the assets. Acting as a partner, the VMP aligns all vendors under one integrated vision. It takes ownership of outcomes, monitors performance, and proactively identifies and resolves potential issues before they arise.

Designing Guest-Centric Spaces With Intelligence

The most exciting evolution is how AI is reshaping guest experience at the design stage. By analyzing behavioral patterns, seasonal occupancy, operational constraints, and user feedback, AI gives designers predictive insight to create environments that anticipate guest needs rather than react to them.

This might include optimizing lobby flow to reduce queuing, designing kitchens for maximum efficiency during peak periods, or forecasting staffing needs based on real-time occupancy patterns. Discussions from The Hotel Design Podcast frequently highlight how AI-driven insights now influence everything from FF&E decisions to back-of-house configurations. The goal is not just efficiency. It is wellbeing, personalization, and the creation of intuitive spaces.

Smart Hospitality In Action

A remarkable example of these principles in action can be seen on NEOM’s OXAGON project, a purpose-built industrial city. This city exemplifies the intersection of hospitality design and cutting-edge technology. I had the privilege of contributing to this pioneering development, where AI, video analytics, and IoT-enabled systems are being integrated to deliver a seamless, guest-centric experience. Hotels like YOTEL and Hotel Indigo are adopting smart building standards, including energy-efficient HVAC systems, microgrid controls, adaptive lighting, and digital twin technology. These technologies simulate, monitor, and optimize building performance in real time. Aligned with NEOM’s zero-carbon goals, these advancements blend sustainability with advanced tech. They redefine personalization and operational efficiency. This project demonstrates how AI and smart systems can transform hospitality projects into a tech-driven, sustainable ecosystem.

Environmental Stewardship in Saudi Tourism

The push toward Saudi Vision 2030 is creating an environment where cutting-edge technologies, like AI, play a central role in achieving the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative. These efforts position the Kingdom as a regional leader in sustainable tourism innovation, placing environmental stewardship at the core of hospitality development.

Saudi Downtown Company (SDC) serves as a good example of this. Parsons developed smart city solutions to integrate smart utilities, intelligent transportation systems, and environmental monitoring. In a previous article, Redefining Hospitality: Saudi Arabia’s Green Revolution, I explored how AI is optimizing water consumption, reducing energy loads, and supporting climate-adaptive architecture across the Kingdom’s mega projects.

The Disruption Is Here

AI has become a catalyst for new forms of collaboration across architecture, engineering, and operations. But adopting AI isn’t simply about upgrading tools. It requires a mindset shift. Famous hospitality design leaders such as Bill Bensley to Larry Traxler have spoken about the industry’s need to evolve beyond traditional workflows and embrace a more data-responsive design culture.

As the pace of development accelerates, especially in giga-projects across the Middle East, hospitality developers, operators, project managers, and asset owners must determine whether they intend to lead this technological transformation or struggle to keep up with it.

The industry’s future will be shaped by those who integrate AI deliberately, intelligently, and early. Those who can harness technology will succeed. Not to replace creativity, but to elevate it.

About The Author

Lana Sweiss is an accomplished architect and project leader with over 25 years of experience delivering high-end hotels, resorts and urban developments across the Middle East. Since joining Parsons in 2022, she has guided complex hospitality projects from concept to completion, consistently delivering client vision into fruition. With a multidisciplinary background spanning architecture, construction and real estate development, Lana combines technical fluency with a strategic mindset. She has a deep interest in how the built environment and hospitality spaces impact the wellbeing of the people who use them, driving her to guide projects that are both functional and enriching. She is an advocate for wellbeing in design, thriving in diverse international settings.

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The High Stakes Of Data Center Buildouts

Debra Frey — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 19:48:02 +0000

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Imagine this: You’re standing in the middle of a cavernous white space, surrounded by rows of humming servers. It’s the beating heart of your soon-to-be-finished data center. The next needed block in the 21^st century digital infrastructure, powering everything from our favorite streaming platforms to the AI tools reshaping industries.

Now imagine one of those servers overheating, a cooling system failing, or a commissioning deadline slipping by just a few weeks. The result? Downtime. Angry stakeholders. Money lost. And a whole lot of finger-pointing.

According to Uptime Institute’s recent global survey, more than half of significant data center outages now cost over $100,000, and one in five cost more than $1 million—a number that continues to climb as the world’s digital infrastructure becomes more critical and complex.

For anyone building, expanding, or commissioning a data center in the next 18 months: this is for you.

What It Takes To Build A Data Center

Building or converting a data center is a high stake balancing act. Every decision, from cooling systems to power draw assumptions, carries the weight of potential disaster. And the margin for error? It’s thinner than the fiber optic cables running through the walls.

That’s where Parsons steps in. We’re the team you call when failure isn’t an option. With decades of experience in data center buildouts, brownfield conversions, and advanced digital infrastructure projects, we anticipate problems before they become big ones. From design to commissioning, we ensure your data center is operational on Day 1, without surprises, delays, or budget blowouts.

Let’s break down the biggest challenges and why they are the difference between a data center that hums and one that hiccups.

The Challenges That Keep Data Center Builders Up at Night

Every piece of equipment needs to be calibrated and fit perfectly when building a data center. And every element of your design, from the walls to the floorplan to the air flow, will affect every other piece. You’re building a technological ecosystem. Miss one detail and you’re looking at downtime, blown budgets, or worse.

Most clients don’t walk into a project knowing exactly what they need. Especially when retrofitting or converting a space. One client imagined a 60 MW facility…eventually. But what did they need on Day 1? Year 3? Year 10?

Parsons guides clients through the uncertainty, modeling multiple layout and capacity options before a single cable gets pulled. For a recent brownfield conversion, our team developed over a dozen floorplan variants, testing rack densities, power assumptions, and future growth pathways. Why? Because early evaluation is where efficiency is born and waste is prevented.

Here are the challenges that can make or break any new build out project—and why Parsons makes sure they don’t become your reality:

1. Cooling Systems: The Silent Budget Killer

Servers don’t just hum. They roast. Without efficient cooling, energy costs skyrocket, equipment fails faster, and uptime becomes a gamble. The stakes are even higher in hot climates, where cooling systems face relentless pressure from the environment.

Parsons doesn’t just design cooling systems; we engineer confidence. We’ve helped clients in desert environments save hundreds of thousands in energy costs by designing cooling systems that flex with the seasons, the workload, and the growth curve. Whether you’re building new or retrofitting an existing space, we future-proof performance through strategic design: hot aisle/cold aisle containment, prefabricated insulated wall systems, and modular HVAC that scales as your footprint grows.

That strategy includes smart design choices that improve PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) while keeping systems flexible enough to evolve with IT load demands. We optimize airflow through hot and cold aisle containment, deploy liquid cooling for high-density floors, and align server utilization strategies with floor-by-floor cooling plans. We have even designed for free cooling, leveraging outdoor temperatures to reduce load on mechanical systems. And where clients are open to it, we explore on-site renewables like solar or wind to lower utility costs and shrink carbon impact.

2. Supply Chain: The Invisible Saboteur

Transformers, redundant power panels, and cooling systems aren’t items you can grab off the shelf. They are the backbone of your data center, and they take what seems like forever to order and receive. Long lead times, vendor bottlenecks, and the occasional “sorry, we’re out of stock” email that sends your schedule into a tailspin.

The last thing you need is this sort of problem. Your construction crew is on-site, ready to install critical equipment. The clock is ticking, the budget is tight, and then…nothing. The transformers you ordered are stuck in transit, delayed by weeks. Every day costs thousands in idle labor, and your carefully planned timeline starts unraveling. It’s not just frustrating; it’s expensive.

When you work with Parsons, we don’t wait for problems to show up—we plan for them before they happen. For one client, we helped implement a proactive material storage system that ensured every piece of equipment was on-site and ready when needed. Think rented land, climate-controlled vans, and a security team keeping watch. Game changer for the client. Let’s do the same for your firm.

3. Commissioning: Where Projects Fall the Hardest

Commissioning is the final hurdle before your data center goes live, and it’s where many projects stumble. Missed steps, poor planning, or lack of oversight can lead to costly delays and offline systems.

We’ve seen it happen: commissioning delays that stretch for weeks because of overlooked details. Imagine discovering critical errors (like reversed PDUs) just days before your go-live date. The result? A two-week delay and frustrated stakeholders.

Parsons believes in planning commissioning from day one, ensuring every system is tested, validated, and ready to perform. Our process goes beyond checklists. We stress-test systems under real-world conditions to catch issues before they become problems.

Confidence Built In: Why Parsons Is Your Safety Net

Parsons doesn’t just help our clients build data centers. We help them build certainty in their projects. Certainty that the cooling systems won’t buckle under the summer heat. Certainty that the supply chain won’t leave your construction crew twiddling their thumbs. And certainty that when Day 1 arrives, the brand-new data center will hum and not hiccup.

Not every firm can handle the stakes of data center buildouts. But Parsons isn’t just any firm. We’ve spent decades turning high-stakes projects into success stories. Whether you’re starting from scratch or turning an old telecom hub into a modern tech powerhouse, Parsons has the playbook. We’ve led brownfield conversions, office-to-data-center retrofits, and mechanical upfits that extend the life of existing assets without compromising future performance.

So, here’s the question: Are you ready to stop worrying about what could go wrong and start building smarter?

Let’s talk. Whether it’s a Cold Eyes Validation to uncover risks early or full-service consulting to guide your project from start to finish, Parsons is the partner you call when failure isn’t an option.

About The Author

Gretchen Gardener currently serves as Vice President of Business Development in the Energy & Environment sector at Parsons and is passionate about solving complex challenges and connecting industry colleagues and partners. She’s an innovation champion with extensive expertise in project delivery across multiple industries. While focusing on fostering business growth and advancing innovative solutions, she collaborates with teams to align with Parsons’ commitment to addressing complex challenges through strategic partnerships.

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Unpacking The Rail Infrastructure Toolbox

Debra Frey — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:25:00 +0000

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) continues to embrace rail as a catalyst for economic growth. From KSA’s Vision 2030 mega-corridors to urban transit projects in Dubai and Qatar, rail infrastructure projects are becoming critical drivers of economic growth. They also enhance social connectivity and sustainable urban development. To support clients in bringing these impressive mobility visions to life, we’ve been perfecting a know-how that blends technology, talent and innovation for growth.

Tool 1: Innovation and Technology

The scale and complexity of today’s rail projects demand more than traditional project controls and management. Delivery is not just about compliance—it’s about building confidence to use and integrate these new technological tools. For governments, investors, and end users, confidence comes from seeing complexity managed, risks anticipated and outcomes delivered.

We combine our project management expertise with cutting-edge technology to deliver high-quality results on these mega infrastructure projects. By embedding technology throughout the entire project lifecycle, we ensure success.

The future and longevity of rail systems depend on how well we plan and deliver today.

While using integrated dashboards, BIM-enabled validation, and smart data workflows has become common practice, Parsons is integrating AI solutions. This integration enables clients to anticipate and mitigate risks early, reducing delays and cost impacts. Two examples of our technology integration come to mind: OpenSpace and our custom-built internal generative AI solution.

For large scale rail projects, our teams use OpenSpace to collect, record, and validate field observations. Live data is fed to project leadership. This enables reporting with a greater level of detail, faster resolution, and greater transparency for stakeholders. These efforts facilitate the integration and adoption of these infrastructures in society.

Using a combination of open source and internal AI, we deliver end-to-end project management while leveraging technology to ensure construction. The safe and efficient construction of metro and rail systems is our focus. Take the Dubai Blue Line for example, where we will incorporate cutting-edge rail technologies. This includes CBTC radio GoA4 driverless operations, advanced predictive maintenance platforms, and integrated digital twin environments to assist with delivery.

Tool 2: Top Tier Talent

Technology is only a useful and powerful tool if you have the right team trained to use them. That’s why Parsons invests not only in tools, but also in its people. We empower project teams with insights, training, and leadership to drive continuous improvement. We encourage our team to be thinkers and innovators.

Beyond our own innovations, Parsons fosters a creative environment to collaborate within the infrastructure industry.

We are encouraging and investing in new technology and insights. We collaborate with an array of tech companies to pool diversity in expertise, share best practices, and conduct robust research and development. This collaboration also involves sharing data ethically, addressing ethical challenges, and influencing policy and regulation.

The idea of the driverless metro was proposed in the 70s. Now we see them throughout the world, most recently showcased with the Riyadh Metro, which is the longest driverless metro line in the world. Parsons brings together the experience of 400 rail and transit clients globally over the years. We manage complex infrastructure projects from concept to completion and we’re ready for what’s next.

So, What’s next?

Bridging Today And Tomorrow: The Future-Ready Toolbox

Mobility is evolving at an unprecedented pace. As cities are expanding and data is becoming more complex, the integration of digital tools through the project lifecycle is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s a strategic necessity. To manage these mega and giga projects, we need to equip and educate our teams. We give them the confidence to utilize the latest technology and AI.

At Parsons, we believe a truly complete rail ready toolbox is built on the perfect blend of technology and talent. We don’t just manage projects—we engineer trust, embed intelligence and deliver with confidence. Because the future of rail isn’t just about where the tracks lead, but how intelligently we build them.

About The Author

Cyril is currently serving as the Deputy Practice Lead for Rail/Program Management Consultancy (PMC) for EMEA at Parsons. His expertise spans project management, business development, operations optimization, and strategic planning, with a proven track record in contract management, procurement, and negotiation. Cyril’s extensive experience includes delivering Design & Build (D&B), Operations & Maintenance (O&M), and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contracts. Cyril’s educational background includes a Master of Engineering in Structural and Construction from Ecole Centrale Marseille, France (2008). He is currently pursuing an MBA from the Open University, with an expected completion date in 2026.

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Harnessing Digital Twins, AI, And Cyber For Smarter Spaceport Operations

Debra Frey — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 15:03:09 +0000

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

As spaceports evolve into sophisticated hubs for space exploration, the integration of emerging technologies such as digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and robust cybersecurity measures is becoming essential for operational success. These technologies help spaceports not only optimize their operations but also ensure safety, efficiency, and seamless coordination. They connect various transportation modes, including air, ground, water, and orbit. The synergy between digital twins, AI, and cybersecurity is paving the way for spaceports to operate in a smarter, more effective, and sustainable way.

The Power Of Digital Twins In Spaceport Development

Digital twins—virtual replicas of physical spaces or systems—are revolutionizing the way spaceports are designed, operated, and managed. By modeling spaceport infrastructure, operations, and surrounding systems, digital twins enable spaceport developers to simulate real-world scenarios. They also assess the impacts of different variables before they physically manifest.

For example, digital twins allow spaceport planners to model the entire transportation process, from the arrival of goods and personnel to the transport of rockets and spacecraft to launch pads. These simulations help identify bottlenecks, safety hazards, or areas where improvements can be made. This ensures operations are as smooth and efficient as possible. Furthermore, digital twins allow developers to run simulations of weather, traffic, and emergency scenarios, which are critical for preparing spaceports for every possible situation.

One of the key advantages of digital twins is their ability to support community adoption. Local residents, regulators, and stakeholders often have concerns about the impact of spaceports, from traffic disruptions to environmental effects. Digital twins can visually represent how spaceport operations will unfold. They address these concerns by providing a transparent, data-driven view of how the spaceport will operate in harmony with surrounding infrastructure and communities. Developers can also use these models to showcase how potential disruptions will be minimized, building trust and collaboration with local communities.

AI-Driven Optimization For Spaceports

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a complementary role in optimizing spaceport operations. Once a digital twin is established, AI algorithms can analyze real-time data to predict traffic patterns. They also optimize launch scheduling and identify potential operational inefficiencies. AI-driven analytics help spaceport operators make smarter, data-backed decisions that enhance efficiency and minimize risks.

For example, AI can predict launch windows by assessing a variety of factors such as weather conditions, air traffic, and available transportation routes. AI can also help automate the scheduling of rockets, personnel, and cargo. This ensures that everything arrives at the spaceport on time and without any logistical delays. When combined with data from IoT sensors, AI allows spaceports to operate in real-time, adjusting operations based on the latest available information.

Additionally, AI can help manage complex transportation systems by predicting demand and optimizing multimodal transport. Whether it’s coordinating airport runway access for horizontal launches or managing the movement of goods via sea and road, AI ensures smooth operations. As spaceports become increasingly integrated with the surrounding infrastructure, AI can ensure that all systems work together smoothly, minimizing disruption and maximizing operational efficiency.

Enhancing Safety And Sustainability

AI and digital twins are not just about optimization—they also play a vital role in enhancing safety and sustainability. Spaceports are increasingly facing pressure to minimize their environmental impact, and these technologies provide the tools necessary to meet those demands.

AI-driven safety features can predict potential hazards before they happen. For example, AI can monitor for abnormal weather conditions or identify any operational risks that might compromise launch safety. It can then alert operators in real-time and recommend mitigation strategies. This proactive approach to safety helps ensure that spaceports can meet the rigorous standards required for safe space operations.

In terms of sustainability, digital twins can simulate the environmental impact of spaceport operations, including noise, emissions, and energy use. By accurately modeling these impacts, developers can identify ways to reduce their carbon footprint. They can also optimize energy use and improve waste management. This focus on sustainability will be crucial as these facilities expand to accommodate the growing demand for space exploration.

Securing Spaceports And The Critical Role Of Cybersecurity

Securing spaceports from cyber threats is critical to maintaining the safety, reliability, and seamless operation of these advanced hubs. Robust cybersecurity measures are vital for safeguarding sensitive infrastructure, operational data, and interconnected systems against potential breaches or attacks.

Preparing For Future Growth

As the space industry expands, spaceports must evolve to handle increasing traffic and complex operations. The integration of AI, digital twins, and advanced cybersecurity is not just a technological leap but a strategic foundation for the future of intelligent, scalable, and resilient spaceports. These technologies optimize performance, protect critical systems, and enable smarter infrastructure management. This drives both innovation and economic growth.

By embracing these advancements, spaceports can scale efficiently. They ensure safety and operational integrity while fostering sustainability in a globally interconnected space economy. Together, these efforts empower the next generation of space exploration, safeguarding operations and contributing to a more secure and prosperous future in space.

Learn More About Spaceports As Smart Hubs

If you’d like to hear from Parsons’ Vice President of Technology & Innovation, Guada Casuso, she will be speaking at the Global Spaceport Alliance webinar, Spaceports as Smart Hubs: Integrating Air, Ground, Water, and Orbit.

About The Author

Guada Casuso is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience driving digital innovation and fostering emerging business opportunities. Known for her strategic vision and deep understanding of technological trends, she has consistently leveraged advanced solutions to accelerate digital transformation and deliver impactful results for organizations. Guada’s expertise spans a wide range of technology domains, including artificial intelligence, digital twins, and simulations. Her leadership has been instrumental in delivering cutting-edge solutions across these areas. Currently, Guada serves as the Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Parsons Intelligent Infrastructure, where she leads Digital Labs and Strategic Partnerships, driving forward-thinking initiatives in the mobility sector. Prior to this role, she held a leadership position at Microsoft, where she spearheaded sustainability and autonomous systems efforts within Microsoft Technology & Research under the Office of CTO.

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Our Evolution In The Artificial Intelligence Revolution

Debra Frey — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 19:48:50 +0000

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is a broad domain, and not a new one across the national security and global infrastructure industries. If you ask multiple institutions and individuals what the definition of AI is, their answers will vary.

At its core AI refers to the creation of systems or machines able to solve hard problems and achieve goals – just like biological creatures. Technologies such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Titan, and other large language models (LLMs) are fundamentally disruptive. Just as the invention of the “horseless carriage” changed the way people used transportation, the release of LLMs is changing the way companies do business and how people live their lives.

In both cases, we need to develop entirely new skillsets to navigate this unique environment. AI changes the way we use data and approach a mission, while also expanding the realm of problems that we can solve. As a result, the techniques successful companies and individuals use to solve complex mission challenges will also change.

What Is Artificial Intelligence?

AI has been called both the villain and the hero since before OpenAI released ChatGPT into the world in November 2022. As a villain, it is charged with taking jobs, being racist in its decision making and responses to users and operating in a non-environmentally sustainable way. As a hero, it is credited with increasing productivity and efficiency in the workplace, being an intelligent sidekick or copilot in our day-to-day activities, and helping users and companies solve the challenges humans have been unable to solve on their own.

The concept of created intelligence is not new. It can be seen in fiction as far back as the Jewish Talmud in the fifth century BCE (where creatures called golems were made of mud and magically instilled with focused ‘intelligence’) and Greek mythology (where the god Hephaestus created Talos out of bronze and injected ichor into him to bring him to life).

AI has existed as a scientific discipline since the 1940’s, when Warren McCulloch and Walter Pitts invented the concept of AI neurons. In the 1950’s, Alan Turing defined his “imitation game”, or Turing Test, as a set of criteria to determine whether a computer demonstrates intelligence by conversing convincingly with humans. In 1957, Frank Rosenblatt built the Perceptron, an electronic device which showed an ability to learn.

Much of the work on AI stalled from the mid 1970’s into the early 1980’s, when interest was piqued again with the availability of microcomputers and silicon chips. AI experienced another pause in investment from the late 1980’s through to the late 1990’s, when the invention of the graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated data processing capabilities. This pairing with cloud compute offerings and efficient, inexpensive data storage led to a resurgence in interest and investment in AI. As an example of that investment, IBM’s computer system, Deep Blue, used AI to defeat Gary Kasparov in a six-game chess matchup in 1997, and NASA’s Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity were sent to Mars in 2004 with AI onboard to help them navigate Mars’ challenging terrain without relying on human commanding.

In the push for more generalized AI capabilities, multiple domains have developed, including search and optimization algorithms, probabilistic methods, classifiers and decision systems, artificial neural networks, convolutional neural networks, deep learning systems, computer vision, LLMs, generative AI, natural language processing, and generative pre-trained transformers (GPT). As compute resources have become more available, performant, and inexpensive, LLMs have grown larger and larger, even as the inference capabilities provided by convolutional neural networks have been increasingly optimized in edge devices, where small resource footprints and power consumption requirements are essential.

Who Is Parsons In This domain?

Our team has been developing and delivering AI solutions for our customers in both national security and global infrastructure for over two decades. We combine our deep mission understanding in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Cyber, Spectrum Operations, counter Unmanned Air Systems (cUAS), Space, and JADC2 with our AI capabilities to deliver tailored solutions for our customers.

We have proven expertise in six areas of AI technology, including ML, generative AI, computer vision, optimization, natural language processing, and decision support systems. We have delivered operational systems to our Critical Infrastructure and Federal customers, including accredited foundational frameworks and models, which we use to jumpstart customer programs. Our AI Center of Excellence (AI-COE) provides resources to our delivery teams, manages our AI tools, and develops training curricula for our employees to ensure our implementations using AI deliver consistently high quality, secure, and ethical AI solutions. In addition, our employees contribute to and lead within international organizations such as the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS), where we have four expert employees registered with INCITS AI working collaboratively to develop standards for data protection and the sustainable and ethical use of AI.

How Is Parsons’ Approach Different?

Our approach to AI is multi-faceted. For our customers, we combine our proven frameworks and models with mission knowledge and focused partnerships to craft tailored AI/ML enabled solutions. For our teams, we provide tools such as our AI-COE, our private instantiation of ChatGPT, on demand learning curricula that increases our organization-wide knowledge of AI, and gamification upskilling events to ensure our employees understand the power and peril of AI. This approach ensures that every Parsons employee has access to the tools, training, and support they need to deliver advanced, mission-focused solutions incorporating AI to our customers.

For example, Parsons and cloud partner AWS is currently running an all-Parsons competition using AWS DeepRacer and recently offered another using Amazon PartyRock. These competitions are open to all employees regardless of role or coding / AI knowledge and help participants understand the power and limitations of AI and large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. Our “Planet of the Apps” competition encouraged employees to create generative AI-based applications that solved a business challenge, entertained the user, or were just generally fun. A panel of judges evaluated the entries and selected winners for four categories: Most Creative, Most Utility, Most Fun, and Best Overall. In addition, all our employees were invited to play with the submitted apps and vote for the winner of the Fan Favorite award! We had 53 apps submitted and a lively voting competition for the Fan Favorite category. The talented winners, from across the entire company, received bonuses and customized prizes as recognition for their ingenuity.

Why Does All This Matter?

Generative AI is unique within the AI domain in its accessibility to everyone. It augments human capability without replacing it. We recognize the potential in this technology and understand that the technology is only as valuable as the innovative solutions our employees create using it. Our investment in gamification events like the “Planet of the Apps” and DeepRacer contests demonstrate our differentiated commitment to our employees and customers.

By providing our people with exciting opportunities to dive deep into multiple disciplines of AI and prompt engineering, we position them for success by ensuring they know how to apply them. We take pride in our people, their knowledge, and our ability to imagine next in the solutions we craft using technologies like generative AI and ML.

About The Author

Jenn Bergstrom is the Vice President of Cloud and Data Solutions at Parsons. She has 20 years of experience supporting Federal customers and has deep expertise in cloud, AI/ML, chaos engineering, training through gamification, and other emerging technologies.

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Forging The Future Of AI Innovation In Defense

Theresa Wederman — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:52:37 +0000

Recap And Reflections From The Advantage DoD Defense Data & AI Symposium

Representing Parsons At Advantage DoD 2024

I had the honor of representing Parsons Corporation at the inaugural Advantage DoD Symposium, hosted at the Washington Hilton last week. The invitation came as the result of a solution our AI Bench, under the SPARC organization within D&I, devised through the lens of risk management for the comprehensive evaluation of Large Language Models (LLMs), systematically gauging their maturity to handle DoD-specific use cases, and mitigations for immature and imperfect models. Dr. William Streilein, CDAO Chief Technology Officer, commended Parsons on our comprehensive approach to the design of an LLM Maturity Model and asked that we share our concept with symposium attendees. Positive reception by attendees representing both the Defense industry, private enterprises, and academia and earned Parsons an invitation to participate in a consultative capacity in a DoD-led knowledge consortium to follow, cementing Parsons’ future a thought leader in AI.

The Current State Of AI In The DoD

The Office of the CDAO set the stage with an overview of the DoD’s current exploratory yet experimental phase in leveraging AI to bolster operational efficiencies. Although a large focus of the conference was on LLMs, the topics discussed encompassed the gamut of topics in AI, emphasizing their commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technologies for a competitive edge and enduring decision advantage. The CDAO emphasized evaluating industry advancements for DoD-specific applications and fostering collaboration for effective technology adoption while the DoD builds up a fighting force that contains intelligent practitioners of adopted AI technologies.

What The DoD Needs

The CDAO’s technology goals utilize AI to enhance warfighting and support tasks, with a focus on using industry tools and techniques to increase efficiency rather than pouring resources into building proprietary models. Using AI to free up human resource capacity and unify disparate and siloed knowledge systems are among some of the many needs discussed by CDAO at the conference. The CDAO’s 18-month generative AI task force, Task Force Lima, was established in August 2023 with the aim of developing foundational strategies for the responsible integration of generative technologies. CAPT Xavier Lugo, TF Lima Mission Commander, warned that the DoD is not interested in more chatbot use cases but rather invested in harnessing LLMs’ knowledge and reasoning abilities to maintain a competitive warfighting edge. The DoD needs methods for evaluating the potential risks and consequences of augmenting existing workstreams with AI technologies, strategies for mitigating those risks, and roadmaps for department-wide adoption and synchronization of the policies for those technologies.

Where AI In The DoD Is Headed

It is abundantly clear that the DoD needs trusted leaders in industry to support the needs of an AI-powered, interconnected warfighting support system. The Deputy Secretary of Defense’s 2023 DoD Data, Analytics, and AI Adoption Strategy prioritizes speed of delivery, continuous learning, and responsible development in its agile approach to this technological transformation. Therefore, a concerted effort by military leaders, servicemembers, and forward-thinking industry partners like Parsons will be necessary to achieve the goals of the DoD’s AI adoption strategy. A Parsons-DoD partnership is an optimal application of our experience in applying AI to the most critical aspects of military and intelligence operations, keeping our fighting forces at the cutting edge of technological innovation and ultimately enabling DoD leaders to make rapid decisions by expertly leveraging high-quality data as part of a continuous development cycle.

About The Author

Ashley Gray is a Principal AI/ML Solutions Architect supporting Parsons’ Defense and Intelligence market. As a former Navy officer with more than a decade of military experience, Ashley brings a valuable perspective to the team and plays an instrumental role in supporting several large-scale AI ventures for the Department of Defense and other government agencies. She is one of three founding members of Parsons’ AI Bench team under the SPARC organization.

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The Top 10 Parsons Moments of 2023

Debra Frey — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 16:21:01 +0000

As we enter a new year, we’re pausing to reflect on what we’ve accomplished in 2023 and highlight our top moments of the year!

1. Leading The AI Revolution

Though artificial intelligence became more mainstream in 2023, we’ve been supporting our customers with the development of AI solutions for the ingestion, processing, exploitation, fusion, dissemination, and visualization of their data for years. In 2023, we continued to use AI to transform how our integrated solutions empower the national security and global infrastructure markets.

Here are a few of our favorite AI articles from the year:

2. Parsons Helps the US Destroy its Final Chemical Weapons Stockpile

On July 7, 2023, the U.S. announced the final munition in the U.S.’s obsolete stockpile of chemical weapons was safely destroyed, an accomplishment months ahead of schedule. We were part of a joint-venture team that used neutralization and explosive destruction technologies to eliminate more than 100,000 mustard agent and nerve agent-filled projectiles, and nerve agent-filled rockets. Destruction operations at the Blue Grass Army Depot began in June 2019. Since then, more than 523 U.S. tons of chemical agents have been safely destroyed.

3. Delivering The Future of Infrastructure For THE LINE and Oxagon Giga-Projects in Saudi Arabia

This year we announced our role as delivery partner for THE LINE, the world’s first cognitive city within the region of NEOM in northwest Saudi Arabia, as well as our contract to provide project management support in building Oxagon – NEOM’s reimagined industrial city that will be home to advanced and clean manufacturing. Both projects are being developed to tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today.

Envisaged as a model for the future of sustainable urban living, THE LINE is being designed to have no cars, no roads, and will operate on 100% renewable energy. One of the most complex and challenging infrastructure projects in the world, THE LINE will stretch 170km (106mi) in length, be 200m (656ft) wide and reach up to 500m (1,640ft) above sea level. Being built with nature at its core, the linear urban development serves as a blueprint for how people can live in harmony with the natural environment. The giga-project prioritizes the health and well-being of its citizens, and addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today, such as outdated infrastructure, pollution, traffic and human connection. The team broke ground on THE LINE in 2022 and the project is currently under construction.

Oxagon, one of NEOM’s regional projects, represents the future of Industrial Cities and will feature ‘Port of NEOM’ a next-gen port and integrated supply chain and logistics ecosystem. We will work closely with NEOM and Oxagon to deliver project management, technical, commercial and construction management services to deliver fully functioning industrial cities. Parsons has been a trusted partner of governments and private entities in the Middle East for more than 60 years and we are one of the leading consultants in design, construction, operations and maintenance, commissioning, and project management services, whose efforts have helped build and transform the region. Learn more about our presence in the Middle East.

4. We Achieved Record Organic Growth

We recorded record total revenue for the third quarter of 2023, increasing by $284 million, or 25%, to $1.4 billion. This increase was primarily driven by organic growth of 23% due to the ramp-up of recent contract wins and growth on existing contracts, and inorganic revenue benefited from the company’s SealingTech and IPKeys acquisitions.

“We also achieved over 20 percent organic growth in [the federal solutions and critical infrastructure segments] for the second consecutive quarter, adjusted EBITDA growth of nearly 25 percent, a double-digit increase in contract awards, and over $200 million in quarterly cash flow for the first time in our company’s history,” said Carey Smith.

5. Continued Expansion: Acquisitions of IPKeys, SealingTech, and I.S. Engineering

In 2023, we acquired IPKeys Cyber and Power Partners, Sealing Technologies, Inc., and I.S. Engineers. We are proud to have them as part of the Parsons family and plan to continue to grow through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.

The acquisitions continue bolstering the company’s infrastructure protection capabilities, defensive cyber operations portfolio, and core critical infrastructure business.

6. Parsons Delivers First RADBO System To U.S. Air Force

In 2023, we delivered the first of 13 total Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordnance (RADBO) systems, plus an additional three ZEUS® laser neutralization systems, to the U.S. Air Force.

The delivery is part of the company’s 6-year, $51 million contract awarded in 2020. The technology is the first ground-based directed energy weapon system to be approved for production. It has been successfully deployed and tested in Iraq and Afghanistan.

7. We Held Our First In-Person Investor Day At The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Since Our IPO

On Wednesday, March 15^th, we held our first in-person Investor Day at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City since our initial public offering (IPO) in May 2019. Parsons’ executives presented our company’s vision, strategy, key business initiatives, and financial goals.

To check out all of the presentations from the event, please visit our investor day webpage.

8. Parsons Honored As One Of The World’s Most Ethical Companies For The 14th Consecutive Year

For the 14^th consecutive year, we were recognized by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2023 World’s Most Ethical Companies! Parsons has been recognized every year since 2010. In 2023, 135 honorees were recognized spanning 19 countries and 46 industries.

9. Parsons’ Carey Smith Named Government Contracting Executive Of The Year

Our Chair, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Carey Smith, was recognized as “Executive of the Year” in 2023 at the 21st Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards, where she won the “Executive of the Year, Over $300 Million” category.

Smith joined Parsons in 2016 as President of Federal Solutions, and was successively promoted to COO, and President and COO, prior to being named President and CEO in 2021 and unanimously being elected Chair, President, and CEO in 2022.

“I’m honored to accept this award and share it with the more than 18,000 employees at Parsons,” said Smith. “The leaders recognized with these awards represent the efforts of the talented workforces we have the privilege of leading every day. At Parsons, our entire team sets out to imagine next in national security and global infrastructure, and this award recognizes their commitment to our customers and to our growth. I couldn’t be prouder to lead such a tremendous team and to be recognized for my part in their success.”

Smith ended the year by appearing on CNBC’s Worldwide Exchange to discuss the company’s historic year.

10. Our Aviation Business Soared To New Heights

2023 was a milestone year for our aviation business! From seamless connections to soaring ambitions, airports are the launchpads of limitless possibilities. We are delivering the smart infrastructure to make them secure and efficient.

Last year, we transformed Terminal A at the Newark Liberty International Airport. We were recognized as “Excellence in Sustainability” and “Award of Merit Airport/Transit” winners by Engineering News Record (ENR) for our work as general contractor and civil engineer for the Newark Liberty International Airport Terminal Redevelopment.

Also in 2023, we won a contract to serve as the lead designer for the JFK International Airport Reconstruction., supporting a $1.24 billion design and reconstruction of John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Central Terminal Area Roadways, Utilities and Ground Transportation Center (GTC) in Queens, New York. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.

Finally, we broke ground on two major new airport projects: a cutting-edge terminal in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and a brand-new runway in Raleigh, NC.

Interested to see where we’ll go in 2024?

Imagine what’s next with us in global infrastructure and national security by subscribing to our monthly innovation newsletter to stay up to date on all of our latest news, events, and innovations!

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Revolutionizing Design: The Power Of Generative AI

Debra Frey — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:40:49 +0000

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) has been making waves in various industries, and architectural design is no exception. Gen-AI has the potential to revolutionize how architects approach design challenges and create innovative solutions. With more than 1,000 Gen-AI platforms and models available, and more to come, our team has tested and explored more than 50 in past-and-current live projects to compare the time and resources gained versus traditional methods. The results are in, and Gen-AI is significantly advantageous.

Gen-AI is a machine learning (ML) technology that transforms new ideas or designs based on a set of input parameters and constraints. In architectural design, this means that Gen-AI can be used to explore design options quickly and efficiently, allowing architects to think outside of the box, considering more possibilities than they would be able to with traditional methods – without being limited by time or resources.

One of the key benefits of Generative AI in architectural design is its ability to optimize designs for specific criteria or constraints. For example, an architect could use Gen-AI to explore different options for a building’s energy efficiency or structural stability. By inputting specific parameters such as materials, site conditions, and budget constraints into the algorithm, Gen-AI can generate multiple design options that meet those requirements (e.g. establishing the column numbers in a parking garage structure)..

Fig. 1: Spacio – Buildings that are measurable, comparable, and self-aware.

Gen-AI also has the potential to improve collaboration between architects and other stakeholders involved in a project. By generating multiple options based on specific criteria or constraints, architects can present their clients with a range of possibilities that meet their needs while also considering other factors such as sustainability goals or community impact.

However, there are also some challenges associated with using Generative AI in architectural design. One challenge is ensuring that the generated designs are feasible from an engineering perspective. While Gen-AI can generate many different design options quickly, it may not always consider practical considerations such as structural integrity or construction feasibility.

Another challenge is ensuring that the generated designs meet aesthetic standards and align with an architect’s vision for a project. While Gen-AI can help generate new ideas quickly, it may not always produce designs that align with an architect’s artistic vision.

These challenges mean while we may tap Generative AI for assistance, we cannot rely on it wholly for outcomes. In partnership with architects and engineers, Gen-AI is an excellent tool to spur creativity and unlock the art of the possible.

As technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, it’s likely that we will see even more applications of Generative AI in architectural design in the future. From optimizing energy efficiency to improving collaboration between stakeholders on complex projects – there are endless possibilities when it comes to using this powerful technology in architecture.

Digital art is another field being transformed by Gen-AI. One of the most exciting applications of Gen-AI in digital art is text-to-image generation, which allows computers to generate images based on textual descriptions.

Fig. 2: Digital Blue Foam (DBF Engine)

ChatGPT took the world by storm in the fall of 2022 – is there anyone left who has never heard of it? Most of those aware of ChatGPT, whether they have tested it out or just heard about it in passing, understand it as a “text-to-text” tool. A user asks ChatGPT a question by typing it into a field, and ChatGPT replies with a text answer.

Text-to-image generation is different and involves training a machine learning model on large datasets of images and their corresponding textual descriptions. The model then uses this information to generate new images based on textual input.

One example of text-to-image generation is the BigGAN model developed by researchers at Google. This model can generate high-resolution images from textual descriptions with remarkable accuracy, producing realistic-looking images that are difficult to distinguish from real photographs.

Another example is DALL-E, a project by OpenAI that can generate highly detailed and complex images from textual prompts. For example, if given the prompt “an armchair in the shape of an avocado,” DALL-E can generate an image of exactly that – an armchair shaped like an avocado.

Fig 3: An avocado armchair generated by DALL-E. Image generated by OpenAI

Fig 4: Building variations using Text-to-Image with detailed prompt: “The public building is a modern architectural masterpiece in the heart of the city. It features clean lines and glass facades, designed by Zaha Hadid. The building is surrounded by bustling city centers, vibrant squares, and a lively urban landscape. The streets are filled with cars and people, creating a dynamic and realistic atmosphere.” Images generated by Parsons Corp.

One potential benefit of text-to-image generation within the field of architecture design is its ability to democratize digital art creation by reducing barriers to entry. With text-to-image generation tools becoming more accessible and user-friendly, artists without extensive technical skills can create higher-quality digital art with ease. This breakthrough has the potential to streamline the design process for clients and architects, allowing both to bring concepts to life faster than ever before.

We are embracing this technology and is using the LookX.AI platform that specializes in developing Generative AI applications for visual content creation. One of their most exciting applications is text-to-image generation, which allows users to generate high-quality images from textual descriptions.

Fig 5. Frank Gehry beach house variations from LookX.ai – images generated by Parsons Corp.

The LookX.AI text-to-image application uses deep learning algorithms to analyze textual descriptions and generate corresponding images. The application can be used for a wide range of purposes, including creating product images, illustrations for books or magazines, or even generating photorealistic artwork.

One of the key benefits of the LookX.AI text-to-image application is its ability to generate high-quality images quickly and efficiently. This allows users to create visual content at a much faster pace than traditional methods while also reducing costs.

Fig. 6: Aircraft hangar using a detailed prompt from LookX.ai. Images generated by Parsons Corp.

Another benefit of the LookX.AI text-to-image application is its ability to customize generated images based on specific requirements or preferences. Users can input specific parameters such as color schemes, image size, or style preferences into the application, which then generates images that meet those criteria.

The LookX.AI text-to-image application represents a significant step forward for visual content creation by enabling users to create high-quality imagery quickly and efficiently while also pushing boundaries beyond what was previously possible using traditional methods.

For 3D applications, our team is evaluating a plugin within Autodesk Revit that allow this time text-to-3D Model using prompts and styles to generate high-definition images. This tool has developed the possibility to select a portion of the image and with a new prompt render that selection only. We can then side-by-side offer different shape, materials, and styles in the context of the project.

The next big thing in architecture design will be to generate architectural details based on prompts of building specifications that will allow us to gain a significant amount of time in our digital delivery process.

Generative AI represents a significant step forward for architectural design by enabling faster exploration of more complex possibilities while optimizing designs for specific performance metrics. As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace within the architecture industry, Gen-AI will continue revolutionizing how we approach designing buildings.

About The Author

Kal Houhou, Director, Digital Delivery is a technology strategist with a focus on building information modelling and digital transformation for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industry. Kal has over 35 years of expertise in technology implementation for the AEC industry. He has a strong business acumen coupled with a clear vision of emerging technology trends that deliver clear results in a complex and ever-changing World.

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The Art Of Customer-Centric Sales

Debra Frey — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:38:46 +0000

The Salesforce Innovation By Parsons X AI Team That’s Shaping The Industry

My background in manufacturing has instilled values that I’ll take with me forever, including using data to make better decisions and continuous improvement. This year, I successfully developed an AI innovation acceleration engine using Salesforce. This powerful tool has revolutionized how we leverage data and technology within our organization. In this blog, I’ll share our journey of transforming key opportunity information into actionable insights, initially through manual validation and subsequently through the application of AI. Join me as we explore how Salesforce became the backbone of our innovation engine.

The Need For Innovation Acceleration

In today’s fast-paced business landscape, innovation is the key to staying ahead of the competition. We recognized the potential to tap into the vast amount of opportunity data generated by our organization and transform it into a valuable asset for driving innovation. By understanding the importance of technology matching, we set out on a mission to build an innovation acceleration engine that could unlock new opportunities and drive growth.

Creating The Training Dataset

To kickstart our innovation engine, we began by manually validating the opportunity data. This meticulous process involved extracting relevant information and matching it to existing technologies within our organization. This manual validation served as the foundation for training our AI model, ensuring accurate technology matches and insightful recommendations.

Salesforce As The Catalyst

Salesforce emerged as the perfect platform for integrating our innovation acceleration engine. Its robust infrastructure and versatility allowed us to centralize opportunity information, leverage existing data management features, and seamlessly connect with our AI model. Salesforce became the beating heart of our innovation ecosystem.

Empowering The AI Model

The next phase of our journey involved applying an AI model to automate the technology matching process. By leveraging advanced machine learning techniques, we harnessed the power of Salesforce to train our AI model on the handcrafted validation dataset. This allowed us to scale our innovation engine, significantly reducing manual effort while improving accuracy and speed.

Driving Innovation With Actionable Insights

With our AI model integrated into Salesforce, the innovation acceleration engine came to life. It analyzed opportunity data, identified key information, and matched it with relevant technologies within our organization. The result? Actionable insights that empowered our teams to make informed decisions, unlock hidden synergies, and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

The Impact of AI-Driven Innovation Acceleration

The implementation of our AI innovation acceleration engine has had a profound impact on our organization. By automating the technology matching process, we’ve not only saved valuable time and resources but have also witnessed a surge in innovation. The engine acts as a catalyst for cross-functional collaboration, propelling us towards a future where data-driven insights drive strategic decision-making and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Through the integration of Salesforce and the application of AI, we’ve transformed our organization’s opportunity data into a powerful innovation acceleration engine. From the early days of manual validation to the seamless automation of technology matching, our journey exemplifies the potential that lies in leveraging technology to fuel innovation. As a female tech executive, I hope that sharing our story inspires others to harness the power of Salesforce and AI to accelerate innovation within their own organizations. Together, we can revolutionize industries and shape a future driven by data, collaboration, and groundbreaking ideas.

About The Author

As the Chief Orchestrator of Enterprise Cloud Strategy for Parsons Infrastructure North America, Laryssa Parker has been instrumental in transforming cloud and innovation technology strategies into actionable plans that drive significant impact. With a diverse background in transportation, healthcare, and tech industries, she has built a successful career in driving digital transformations and enabling organizations to rapidly adopt new technologies. Born in Sudbury, Ontario, and educated with an MBA in Management Information Systems and a B.S. in Computer and Information Sciences, Laryssa currently resides in Austin, TX, where she dedicates her free time to volunteering for Austin Pets Alive! and curating her Little Free Library.

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Harmonizing Through AI

Debra Frey — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:27:52 +0000

Generative AI is one of the most recent advancements in artificial intelligence technology. Artificial intelligence is capable of generating text, images, or other media in response to prompts. From Photoshop to Chat GPT, the world is integrating Generative AI more and more into everyday use.

Here at Parsons, we are leading in developing AI standards that will drive how efficiently we solve our customers’ most complex challenges. Our projects that now involve AI span our business, from Defense and Intelligence to Critical Infrastructure applications.

Battle Of The AI Bands

We want to spark curiosity and innovation in our employees every day. This year, the Defense & Intelligence (D&I) team focuses on Generative AI, an aspect of AI and Machine Learning (ML) that some of our employees hadn’t explored before. The Guild, D&I’s internal employee up-skilling organization, partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to introduce the Battle of the AI Bands competition to enable that exploration.

Battle of the AI Bands specifically focused on using generative AI in a fun and unique way. Employees across the company created teams (bands) and were challenged to compose their own melodies using AWS Deep Composer. By presenting it as a team event, we fostered collaboration among employees from different corners of the company, bringing them together to form bands and participate in the competition with colleagues they had not previously collaborated with.

51 bands with over 100 employees signed up to craft unique songs using Deep Composer. The platform uses generative AI, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), transformers, and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to build complete, unique musical tracks based on a melody input by the user. Our employees used these AI models to create over 1,500 distinct songs and chose their best ones to submit to the final competition.

AWS classifies “good participation” among companies in this competition style at around 5%, we saw participation between 30% and 40%! We had 20 bands submit their favorite song creation for the final competition, where fellow employees judged them on the best song, band name and logo, album, and overall composition. Employees voted once weekly for the band of their choice for four weeks and had over 800 individual votes across the four categories.

All Hands On Deck

Battle of the AI Bands isn’t just drawing in participation from those who choose to join a band and compose a song. The competition involved people from every aspect of the business joining in on the fun. Our IT Department dedicated their time to ensuring all accounts were up and running, D&I funded the competition – open to all employees – and the judges were Parsons employees from every sector. This competition was a fun way to learn about Generative AI and its capabilities and bring employees together through unconventional methods.

The Winners

The winning bands were announced during an awards ceremony reminiscent of the Grammies, with announcers including the designer of the competition, Jenn Bergstrom, and several other senior leaders from D&I, including D&I CTO Ryan Gabriele, Rich Hull, and John Stasulli. The top 3 bands in each category were announced, followed by the winning band for each category. Each nominated band was present during the ceremony, and awardees were invited to take the stage for thank yous and celebrations of their victory. The winning bands for each category are shown below. Each member of the winning bands will receive a music-themed prize package, including prizes like band shirts, custom-cut vinyl of the submitted tracks, and Guild and AWS swag!

Congratulations to all who participated; your innovation and creativity struck the perfect chord, leaving us in awe.

Best Song Winner: Starstruck- Recursive Rhapsody

Band Members: Vinni Bhatia, Katie Seiter, Sean Landess, and Angel Moncada

Best Band Name and Logo Winner: Squirrels on Fire

Band Members: Christin Young, Melissa Kletzker, Amy Pieper, and Mary Anderson

Best Album Name and Art: Peanut Butter + Jam

Band Members: Tiffany Jackson, Jeffery Gran, Brillana Castillo, and Rocio Razzo-Mapou

Best in Class: Starstruck

Band Members: Vinni Bhatia, Katie Seiter, Sean Landess, and Angel Moncada

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