In the ever-evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI), innovative leaders continue to shape the future of technology. Here’s a glimpse into the expertise and achievements of the remarkable and innovative Leaders in Artificial Intelligence who are at the forefront of the AI revolution:

Karunakaran N (Head – Data and AI, Crayon Data): Karunakaran N, based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is a seasoned data and AI leader with around 27 years of experience. He specializes in Gen AI, ML/DL, Big Data Analytics, Cloud, and Data Governance, driving innovation and leading successful data initiatives at Crayon Data.

Vijay Morampudi (Head of Artificial Intelligence at Veltris): With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, Vijay Morampudi, currently based in Hyderabad, India, drives AI initiatives across diverse domains. His expertise spans AI strategy, generative AI, and digital transformation, delivering significant revenue growth and leading teams to success.

Rupesh Khare (Global Head – Data Analytics and AI at ABB): Rupesh Khare, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, boasts over 22 years of expertise in AI, machine learning, and analytics. As the Global Head at ABB, he drives innovation across diverse domains, scaling the Analytics Centre of Excellence and delivering advanced solutions.

Ashutosh Khare (Head of AI CoE & Intelligent Automation, Cigna Healthcare): Ashutosh Khare, based in Bengaluru, India, brings over 22 years of experience leading AI and Intelligent Automation at Cigna Healthcare. With extensive experience at DIMTS, Fidelity International, and CRIS, his expertise spans AI, data analytics, and big data engineering.

Varun Saxena (Sr. Vice President & Head AI/ML, ANAROCK): Varun Saxena, operating from Mumbai, India, is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of cross-industry experience. His leadership at ANAROCK drives AI and marketing functions, emphasizing revenue maximization and strategic partnerships. Varun’s innovative methods accelerate growth and create long-term value in the real estate sector.

Dr. Madhusudan Singh (AI Leader, L&T Technology Services): Dr. Madhusudan Singh, operating from Bengaluru, leads AI integration at L&T Technology Services. With a Ph.D. and over two decades of experience, he has filed over 90 patents in AI and related fields, driving innovation and efficiency in engineering solutions. Dr. Singh’s expertise spans across GenAI, DL, ML, CV, and NLP, addressing critical engineering challenges with impactful AI solutions.

Aniket Dalal (Head AI/ML,  CredCore ): Aniket Dalal hailing from Maharashtra, India, armed with 20 years of expertise, pioneers next-gen AI solutions at CredCore. His mastery in Natural Language Processing and deep learning transforms capital structures and automates workflows, reshaping the finance sector.Jitendra M. (Head of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Experience, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.): Jitendra M., based in Gurugram, India, is a versatile IT leader with over 25 years of experience across various domains and industry verticals. His leadership in driving digital technology enablement and IT transformation initiatives has made him a thought leader in AI, enterprise architecture, and technology consulting.

Debiprasad Banerjee (AI/Data & TES Practice Head, Veltris): With over two decades of experience in the IT industry, Debiprasad Banerjee specializes in AI technology stack and data convergence. His leadership at Veltris underscores his commitment to enabling large-scale technology and business transformations through AI and intelligent automation.

Vinodh Kumar Ravindranath (Head of Artificial Intelligence, eightfold.ai): Vinodh Kumar Ravindranath, located in Bengaluru, India, brings extensive experience of 20 years to his role at eightfold.ai. With a background in communications engineering, Vinodh leads AI efforts, focusing on large language models and deep learning.

Kapil Soni (AI/ML lead, Qualcomm): Kapil Soni, based in Bengaluru, India, leads AI/ML initiatives at Qualcomm, leveraging his expertise in computer vision and digital signal processing. With a rich history of two decades at companies like Wells Fargo and Intel, Kapil drives innovation in AI hardware acceleration. 

Deepak Mishra (Head of Gen AI Model Development Center, Wells Fargo): Deepak Mishra, based in Bengaluru, India, drives AI innovation at Wells Fargo, With over 17 years of distinguished experience elevating consumer banking and wealth management with cutting-edge AI models and strategic leadership. Mishra’s expertise lies in sculpting mission-critical machine learning models on cloud platforms like AWS and GCP, driving transformative strategies for leading banks and global fintech companies.

Dr. Sachin Agrawal (Director, Innovation Head Generative AI at PepsiCo): Dr. Sachin Agrawal, based in Hyderabad, India,  brings over 16 years of expertise and leads PepsiCo’s Gen AI Center of Excellence, pioneering innovation in AI-driven solutions. With a Ph.D. in Computers from Delhi Technological University and extensive experience at Sony Research and Samsung, he’s a multifaceted achiever, holding 25 patents and authoring numerous research papers.

Rahul Kharat (Head of AI and Innovation, Zenon): Rahul Kharat, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, holds a PhD from ISB and an MBA from IIML, and brings over 15 years of experience at Zenon. He specializes in responsible AI solutions, with 18 patents and a book on AI theory. Rahul has developed various AI products across industries, emphasizing transparent ML models and domain-specific NLP initiatives. 

Phani Karnati (Head of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at ViHaVe.ai): Phani Karnati, based in Hyderabad, India, brings over 16 years of experience. He is a seasoned technical lead in healthcare, with a strong background in predictive modeling and AI, he leads transformative initiatives at ViHaVe.ai, focusing on data-driven insights and innovation.

Sudalai Rajkumar (Head of AI & ML, Growfin): Sudalai Rajkumar, located in Chennai, India, is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience and an AI advisor. As the head of AI & ML at Growfin, Sudalai drives innovation and fosters growth in the startup ecosystem.

Abhinav Kimothi (Co-founder & Head of AI, Yarnit. app): Abhinav Kimothi, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, is a seasoned data scientist with over 15 years of experience. As the head of AI at Yarnit. app, he pioneers the development of content marketing platforms using Generative AI and machine learning, revolutionizing content creation for marketers.

Mayank Verma (Global Head Data & AI at Xebia): Mayank Verma, based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, is an analytics leader with over 15 years of experience. As the Global Head of Data & AI at Xebia, his expertise in developing AI and analytics strategy roadmaps drives impactful solutions across sectors, geographies, and functional areas, fostering collaboration and delivering data-driven insights.

Amit Kumar Shrivastava (Head of AI, Fujitsu): Amit Kumar Shrivastava, located in Pune, India, is a visionary AI leader at Fujitsu. With over 11 years of experience, he drives AI initiatives, contributing to national skilling frameworks and industry transformation. 

Rounak Dholakia (Head of Data Science & AI Category, Great Learning): Rounak Dholakia, located in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, is an analytics expert with a decade-long journey in upskilling individuals for the digital economy. At Great Learning, Rounak’s focus on academic operations and strategic decisions, powered by data analytics, drives impactful outcomes. His specialties in account management and quantitative skills ensure effective client communication and targeted solutions. 

Anand Trivedi (Head of Artificial Intelligence, Aavenir): Anand Trivedi, hailing from Ahmedabad, India, brings over 10 years of experience in AI and machine learning. As Head of AI at Aavenir, he spearheads product development cycles, applying cutting-edge technologies to real-world challenges. 

Hariprasad P S (Head of AI, HyperVerge Inc.): Hariprasad P S, situated in Bengaluru, India, heads AI initiatives at HyperVerge Inc. With over a decade of experience, his work in computer vision and deep learning has revolutionized image and video analysis across industries.

Raj Shekhar ( AI Lead, NASSCOM): With over 7 years of experience, Raj Shekhar, based in New Delhi, India, spearheads responsible AI initiatives at NASSCOM. As the founder of AI Policy Exchange and a leader in ethical AI advocacy, Raj drives impactful change in the tech ecosystem.

Shubham Pandey (Head of Artificial Intelligence, Agilis AS): Shubham Pandey, based in Pune, India, brings over 7 years of diverse AI experience, with a Master’s degree from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He excels in developing AI solutions across domains like Generative AI, Machine Learning, and AR/VR, contributing significantly to Agilis AS’s innovative initiatives.

Shreenivas Joshi (Head of Artificial Intelligence, Shomor.ai): Shreenivas Joshi, based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, boasts 5 years of experience and currently leads AI initiatives at Shomor.ai. His expertise spans reinforcement learning, object detection, and more, delivering impactful solutions across diverse domains.

These leaders exemplify excellence in AI, each bringing a unique blend of expertise and vision to the forefront of the AI revolution. As pioneers in their field, they persistently push boundaries, drive innovation, and set the new trajectory of future technology.

*This article is written by Priya Kumar, Lead Journalist at Indian Startup Times