5 Questions with Senior Product Manager, Gradient AI Group Health, Wes Jacobs

What does a Senior Product Manager do? And why is Wes so important to Gradient AI’s Group Health underwriting solutions?

Wes Jacobs is the Senior Product Manager for Gradient AI’s SAIL™ Group Health underwriting solution for new business, and is keenly focused on pushing the limits of big data and AI models to help group health insurers, stop loss carriers, MGU’s, and PEO’s provide more accurate underwriting assessments, reduce claims costs, and improve operational efficiencies. 

Wes has extensive experience in the industry - leading clients to greater growth and profitability as a principal, business development executive, and sales director over the last 25 years. Wes has a bachelor’s degree in statistics, and an MBA from Brigham Young University. He lives in Salt Lake City.

1. What is the primary focus of your role as Senior Product Manager in Group Health?
   I am primarily responsible for the vision, roadmap, and development of the SAIL™ underwriting solution. I meet with clients, prospects, partners, and industry leaders regularly to define our roadmap and ensure Gradient continually leads the industry; pushing innovation, advanced AI modeling, and reporting features to best address our clients’ underwriting and risk assessment needs.
   
   Most recently, our product team has strengthened our commitment to superior execution in the development of our SAIL™ underwriting solution. As Frank Slootman says in his book, Amp It Up, “the best strategy in the world cannot overcome poor execution”. 
   
   
2. What are common misconceptions customers or prospects may have about AI and machine learning?
   One of the most common misconceptions is that a machine learning model continually learns and teaches itself. In reality, an ML model only knows what it has seen or been trained for – and that’s where Gradient’s expert engineers and data scientists come in.
   
   How do we teach ML models at Gradient AI? At Gradient, we’ve implemented a systematic clinical hybrid update approach to teach the SAIL™ model to augment predictions and account for new drugs, treatments, conditions, and use patterns.
   
   A great example of this is our recently implemented hybrid update in SAIL™ - an adjustment to account for the recent explosion in the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Manjouro for weight loss. Without the systematic clinical hybrid updates that we provide, the ML model is out-of-date the minute you release it.
   
   
3. What does a typical day at Gradient look like for you? 
   I work closely with our engineers and data scientists to communicate objectives, define requirements, coordinate assignments, refine processes, and ensure sufficient resources are available to execute at a high level. Generally, more than half of my day is spent with client support, sales support, product development, and training. Additionally, I work with partners, vendors, and data providers to facilitate product and business development.
   
   I also carve out time for personal development. I am a firm believer that in any job – and particularly in the tech / AI industry – you need to continue to always improve your knowledge, skillset, and general awareness.   
   
   
4. What do you like most about your job? 
   I enjoy interacting with people. I enjoy working together as a team with common goals to deliver a quality solution that makes life better for our clients and allows them to differentiate themselves in the market.
   
   And of course, building client relationships – and understanding their challenges and frustrations – is critical to helping them achieve their goals and objectives.
   
   
5. What do you like to do in your free time?
   I have a large family that is growing up and expanding, so I’m always looking for ways to spend time with them, particularly in the outdoors. We love houseboating and wake surfing at Lake Powell, snorkeling and scuba diving in Hawaii, skiing and snowboarding in the mountains, playing disc golf at the park, or just watching a movie together.

• Bonus Question: Where is your favorite place to ski and why?
  As a 30+ year resident of Utah, we have an annual pass at the “locals focused” Brighton Resort up Big Cottonwood Canyon. 900 inches of snow last year!

Thank you, Wes! And be sure to check back on our blog as we ask 5 questions to different members of our talented staff across Gradient AI, to learn how they support the success of our clients.

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