Fresh from winning top honors at the Army, Airforce and Navy Technology Excellence Awards, Virtualitics CEO Michael Amori shares how the company’s Caltech roots, mission-driven culture, and focus on explainable, user-centric AI are reshaping defense readiness. In this exclusive interview, Amori discusses overcoming the “Valley of Death” in defense tech adoption, the critical role of trust and transparency, and Virtualitics’ vision to deliver scalable, operationally impactful AI solutions for the U.S. military and beyond.
Global Defence Technology (GDT): First of all, congratulations on Virtualitics’ recent wins in both Innovation and Business Expansion at the Army, Airforce and Navy Technology Excellence Awards. How do these recognitions fit into your broader vision for the role of AI in defense? (INSERT “Airforce” image)
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Michael Amori: We’re proud of how far we’ve come, and it all stems from our roots at Caltech. Over time, we’ve found our stride delivering meaningful AI solutions to the DoD, Intelligence, and other Government agencies. The focus now isn’t on if AI should be used in military operations—but how fast and smart we can integrate it at scale. Military readiness has always been about having the right people and platforms in the right place at the right time and now we have a portfolio of proven AI solutions to support critical readiness missions.
GDT: Virtualitics has grown rapidly in a highly demanding sector. What aspects of your company culture or leadership philosophy do you think have been most instrumental in achieving this success?
Michael Amori: Not being afraid to take risks. Last year, we went all in on national security solutions, shifting focus based on the urgent need we saw in the DoD. Listening to customers guided that move. We also benefit from a board of advisors, each with over 30 years of service, who validate how our tech could’ve helped them when active. We take great pride in our work and our success comes from working closely with customers and building AI that truly supports defense and deterrence.
GDT: AI adoption in defense isn’t just a technical challenge. What organizational or cultural barriers have you encountered as you’ve worked to embed AI into military operations?
Michael Amori: It’s called the Valley of Death for a reason—breaking into defense isn’t easy. Coming from academia, we initially spoke a different language than our DoD partners. But over time, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with users helped us bridge that gap. Today, about 25% of our team has military or public sector experience, bringing critical insight to everything we do.
GDT: Trust is a recurring theme, especially as AI becomes more central to mission-critical decisions. How does Virtualitics approach the ethical dimensions of AI and build user confidence?
Michael Amori: Trust is a core pillar of our platform. It starts with transparency—users need to understand why the AI makes the decisions it does. We include many Explainable AI models and features, building user confidence that the system is grounded in robust, relevant data and always working in their best interest.
GDT: How has end-user feedback shaped your products?
Michael Amori: It’s been invaluable. Many on our team have sat in the roles that now use our tech. Their input helps refine everything—from UI simplicity to the KPIs that matter most. We’re constantly adapting to evolving regulatory and deployment environments, and customer feedback is central to that process. We take customer feedback seriously and ensure it’s incorporated into the product development process.
GDT: What sets Virtualitics apart in a competitive defense AI space? (INSERT “Navy” image)
Michael Amori: We differentiate ourselves through People, Precision, and Performance. Our team combines mission-experienced veterans with cutting-edge AI experts, bringing deep-rooted domain expertise that ensures we truly understand the environments our solutions serve. We apply best-of-breed AI technology with mission-aligned methodologies, enabling us to seamlessly integrate advanced analytics into critical domains. While other industry solutions provide insights relative to one of the critical readiness domains, we focus on providing a holistic solution that drives real operational impact. Lastly, our hallmark is speed and scale of delivery, ensuring our partners see value quickly and continuously in this dynamically changing environment.
GDT: How do you keep growth sustainable as you scale?
Michael Amori: Our executive team balances immediate priorities with a forward-looking strategy. We also learn from others who’ve navigated similar rapid growth, always refining our path.
GDT: Which trends will most shape the future of AI-driven decision intelligence in defense? (INSERT “Army” image)
