Amarjeet Kaur is a technically-proficient Research Scientist with more than eleven years of experience. She has a PhD in Computer Science & Technology with a specialisation in Artificial Intelligence. She has worked across disciplines with top enterprises like Tech Mahindra and TATA Memorial Hospitals. As the Sr. Data Science Manager, Business Scientist at Digital Healthcare, Reliance JIO, she focuses on Artificial Intelligence, Speech & Text Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning and Predictive Modelling. 

Can you tell us about your AI journey?    

‘Thinking about thinking’ kind of Metacognition, I started with this as my primary approach. Before and during my graduation days, I was fascinated by robotics and the logic behind the automation process. I have been part of various teams and have worked across disciplines. Experimenting and exploring across the domain was my field of interest. Inclination towards cognitive science domain directed my path towards AI journey.   

What made you interested in AI and your chosen field?    

Cognitive empathy is the feeling which triggers my path toward the AI domain. To understand or feel what another person is experiencing and try to think from different perceptions.    

Can you say something about your current role and handling projects?      

I am currently a Senior Manager in Reliance Jio Platforms Ltd, working as a Senior Data Scientist in the Jio Health platform, focused on the digital healthcare needs of every individual. Using our JioHealth platform, one can avail of various health services like diagnostic tests and online doctor consultations from India's leading healthcare providers. The reports are made available in the app itself for any time reference. In addition, the platform offers easy and automatic categorization of reports, secure storage and sharing, health charts to track health parameters, and customized medical profiles. Health tips are some of the key features of the platform.   

In a world where every field is being transformed by technology, how can we make the future generation AI-ready?    

The most critical area to focus on in 2020 is the Healthcare Industry. For the future generation, smartly dealing with deadly epidemics and predicting pandemic situations along with the regular well-being of everyone with the help of AI and advanced technologies. Therefore, I want to focus my attention on the field of AI in the Healthcare domain, providing the best services to consumers by solving their health-related issues and making them feel comfortable in the digital shift environment (considering the social determinants of the digital healthcare system) along with the bottom-line growth of an organization.    

AI in Healthcare: How Healthcare Providers Can Use AI to Boost Consumer experiences and Generate More Revenues:   

The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various domains across industries has been long discussed. It is impossible to ignore its potential to change the face of an industry. How best to leverage it considering the business aspects to boost revenue and bottom-line growth of an organization.    

In today’s digital world, consumers across the globe are accustomed to getting a full spectrum of personalized customer experiences. However, when it comes to the healthcare domain, it is an open challenge to gauge the critical aspects of consumer's thought processes and be empathetic about their needs- What, When, where- they want them.    

The availability of essential data points related to health is the fuel to drive this transformation from understanding the consumer needs to providing delightful customer experiences. In addition, the Healthcare leaders are aware that they need sheer focus on improving consumer experiences due to rising out of pocket costs and value-based reimbursements.   

The first and the most important responsibility of Healthcare providers should be to solve the core issues regarding their consumers’ (patients’) health conditions. An empathetic Consumer experience (CX) face can make the patients feel comfortable with the digitization of healthcare services and boost technology flow to the grassroots level (the WIN for all!!!)   

An Empathetic CX face:    

Generate more revenue by better understanding your consumer’s needs. For example, encouraging consumers to donate data by providing a straightforward and easy to use user interface (UI). Keeping it simple and focused is a quick catch to involve a broad spectrum of consumers and facilitate the unrestricted flow of technology to the grass-root level.    

Key features to focus on:   

• It’s essential to time your campaigns accordingly.   
• Sentiment Analysis to gauge customer needs and direct relevant search listings for customer satisfaction.   
• Push Notification only with relevancy check, to not to panic consumers (be empathetic)   
• Be patient-centric; obsessed with providing patients with the best possible experience. Happy patients are more likely to engage with your marketing programs, whereas unhappy patients should be personally contacted, independent of any marketing campaign.    
• Designing reliable processes to identify, connect and restore unhappy patients after leaving the platform or services.    
• Focus on AI-assisted marketing strategies to increase stickiness and gain loyalty based on patient recovery, patient retention and onboarding of new patients.  

How do you think startups are moving the needle to support more women to participate in tech building/development?   

Start-up culture facilitates women on important aspects: freedom to express thoughts, encouraging more women to take ownership, and leverage their inherent entrepreneurship skills experienced from domestic responsibilities. I believe consistency is the key, startups are like a marathon race, not a sprint. Business exposure to women to learn and sharpen their business skills and multitasking work capabilities, encouraging them to push the boundaries of limited information access, consequently benefiting tech building/development within the startup culture.   

What are the factors that are limiting women pursue STEM subjects? What is your opinion that should change?    

It's majorly about career opportunities and the right to equality, missing on the salary and responsibility front, post the STEM education.    

To push the boundaries of limiting factors is the ultimate transformation that can motivate women to see its positive aspects and kick start their careers in the field of STEM knowledge gain.  

• Linking talents with opportunities and providing the right platform.    
• Keeping social-economic barriers in check.   
• Being vocal about the success stories of Women in STEM    
• Clarity about Gender biases    
• Redirecting the sensitive or feminine side of women towards being empathetic is an important leadership skill to achieve significant milestones.   

How will involving women in tech roles and research help mitigate bias and promote inclusion?      

Inclusion of thoughts from different perceptions has always been an additional gain from various aspects of organizational development. Research has also shown a clear positive connection between increased gender diversity and financial benefits across the globe. Recognizing women’s critical role in our global economy and their inclusion in the industry that fuels innovations in all sectors. There are ways to mitigate bias, such as focusing on commitments to diversity, freedom to speak out, and accepting opinions from various perceptions and positively considering them. In addition, we will need gender-neutral champions who can rally and show the success of how to do this.   

What do you want to say to women who want to build a career in AI and other tech-related fields?   

Describing my journey toward the AI field and the gains from continuous learning is immense. Change in cognitive skills, decision-making capabilities, problem-solving skills, risk mitigation, comfortable in diverse areas is some of the key features which can be included in the personality by pursuing your career in AI and other tech-related fields. I believe reflecting on sheer knowledge with the right attitude can magnetize various career avenues that can fit any role and responsibility.