AI100, an initiative by YourStory and AWS, unveils the first cohort of AI leaders

India is one of the top 10 countries in artificial intelligence (AI) readiness. A report by Boston Consulting Group reveals that India ranked second when it comes to AI specialists and third in research publications. The country’s journey to becoming a global force in AI is nothing short of amazing. So, who are the leaders, innovators, academics, and game-changers powering a wave of AI-led innovations in India? 

AI100, an initiative by YourStory and AWS, is on a mission to discover and build a community of the leading figures in India’s AI landscape. These are the thought leaders, innovators, mentors, decision-makers, and mavericks who will spark discussion on the latest technological disruptions, inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs and enthusiasts, and explore AWS’ AI-powered services that have bolstered their boldest innovations. 

The first cohort of the AI100 leaders was unveiled today. From edtech to marketing, healthcare to HR, these 5 leaders have shared their unique stories, expertise, and hopes for the future of AI. Learn about their journeys - from ambitious students to savvy professionals, their AI-powered solutions, plans for the future and more. Is conversational AI in its golden era? Will AI be used to combat hunger and obesity? Can AI bridge the digital divide in India? What new roles will AI create in the job market? Will we achieve Singularity in the future? The first cohort of leaders explore these intriguing questions and share their insights into all things AI.

TalkDesk

Aravind Ganapathiraju, ex-Vice President of Applied AI at Uniphore and current VP of Applied Sciences at Talk Desk, is armed with more than 25 years of experience in speech technology, making him a formidable voice in the field. He believes that this is the golden age of conversational AI, where voice services are playing crucial roles in both consumer and enterprise AI. Read about his journey, from NIT Trichy to speech tech and his thoughts on the future of AI and speech recognition.

Healthify

Health and happiness are the two most important facets of life for this AI leader, and he has found a way to make them an essential part of his work. Abhijit Khasnis, Chief Technology Officer, Healthify, has spent 25 years in the tech sector, honing his skills and deepening his expertise, by holding key roles at Oracle, Yahoo, and the Tata Group. He now works on Ria, Healthify’s AI wellness assistant who provides personalised coaching on nutrition, fitness and overall wellbeing. Know more about Khasnis.

Rocket Learning

A digital divide is growing in society, exacerbated by the proliferation of smartphones, computers and, importantly, AI. Vishal Sunil, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Rocket Learning, wants to bridge this divide for underserved populations in India, specifically students and learners. Today, Rocket Learning is equipping millions of learners for an AI and digital-driven future through bite-sized educational videos that can be accessed on social media. Know more about Sunil and his work.

Phenom

Inspired by the 20th-century philosophical movement, Phenomenology, Mahe Bayireddi, CEO and Co-founder, Phenom, and his team have built a platform to assist clients in two crucial aspects: talent acquisition and talent management. ‘Phenom’ is an AI-powered SaaS platform that connects the right people with the right job. It provides companies with an AI-powered unified solution that drives personalization, automation and accuracy for candidates, recruiters, employees, and management. What does the future hold for Phenom? Mahe is looking at GenAI to take personalisation, search, and recommendations to the next level! Learn more about Mahe Bayireddi's plans.

CACTUS

Nishchay Shah's interest in technology began in school, where he actively participated in data forensics, ethical hacking, and pattern recognition. Now as the Group CTO and EVP, Products and AI, CACTUS Communication, he can embed that interest in the office, in a smart home controlled by Alexa, as well as his personal Amazon Echo Studio. Beyond the individual, Shah asks thoughtful questions about tech and AI’s impact on society at large. From hyper-personalised medicine to precision farming, he has a bright outlook for the future of AI. Know more.

Check out more details about these visionaries at www.ai100leaders.com and stay tuned for the next cohort from the AI100 campaign.