Tell me about your AI journey so far. What inspired you to carve out a career in data science/AI? 

I pursued a degree in computer science from RV College of Engineering in Bangalore, and graduated in 2007. I worked at Samsung for three years where I built mobile applications, before moving to the USA in 2010 to pursue an MBA at the University of Illinois- Urbana Champaign. I joined Lumeris, one of the largest healthcare IT companies in the country, in my final semester. That’s where I met Subba (Subbarao Siddabattula) and Ilangovel (Thulasimani), with whom I founded Practically. Lumeris also happens to be one of the most well-funded healthcare companies, with established investors like Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, Sandbox Industries, Camden Partners and Cerner Capital. This exposed me to the world of venture capital and drew me to entrepreneurship. Subba, Ilangovel and I were very keen on combining our strengths, start a tech-focused company that was solving a meaningful problem. We zeroed in on education, mainly because we realised how fragmented the system is in India and wanted to explore a platform-approach to standardise operations, using technology.

What's your area of expertise in AI and why did you choose this? 

Prior to starting Practically, I managed several projects that involved the extensive use of AI. As part of my role as Director of Technology Partnerships at Lumeris, I evaluated multiple projects and seen firsthand the benefits of intelligent systems. AI is not only removing mundane tasks but has evolved to a point where it is a useful guide to businesses to make smarter decisions about workforce deployment, revenue streams, productivity. Exploring this capability of AI in fields like education in India, which is on the brink of a massive transformation thanks to digital technologies, is one I thoroughly enjoy. And this is just the beginning.

What challenges do you believe women face creating a niche in the world of tech? 

One of the most widespread yet highly concerning issue in the tech community is the narrow pool of female professionals, and this funnel becomes even smaller as we move up the ladder. Sadly, the needle hasn’t moved much – a decade ago, girls made up about only 5% of the class strength in fields like engineering and STEM – and it’s the same percentage of women who make it to the workforce but gradually these numbers decline as responsibilities increase. All things considered, its heartening to see more and more women get into technical roles like coding, analytics and cybersecurity – what we need to do is provide them the means to stay on in these roles and become leaders.

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

As someone who has once worked in a large tech company and now runs a startup, I can see how operational priorities vary, which can have a bearing on the organisation’s HR blueprint. Startups, in their initial stages, are always racing the clock – they are under immense pressure to roll out solutions, run pilots, woo investors, hire the right talent – and all these tasks happen simultaneously within a small window of time. There is a propensity to hire the right people for the job at hand than focus on diversity – atleast in the early days. But as the company begins to take shape, leaders must focus on widening the hiring net to include women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQI and others. A workspace, when truly diverse and inclusive, has a healthy impact on the business. In addition, female leaders should be given the right kind of training to lead from the front. As of today, 7.4% of women hold CEO titles in Fortune 500 companies and these numbers must increase.

What do you think are the biggest limiting factors for women not to advance their careers in tech, esp product development? What can change? 

Like I mentioned earlier, the numbers of girls pursuing STEM subjects at the college level itself is low – and this isn’t just an India problem, it’s a global problem. Unless we boost those numbers, we’re not going to see a lot of women in tech roles. That said, the women that do make the cut and pursue careers in tech, must be given the opportunities to grow. For a sizeable impact to take place, men must be part of this change. Male managers must prioritise hiring women, training them and giving them titular responsibilities, and this will boost other leaders to do the same. Of course, one cannot discount the societal expectations that women are compelled to follow, many times familial obligations are the sole reason for women not pursuing full-time roles in tech. For instance, product launches demand long hours and late nights, which can be a challenge for women and mothers. Having a supportive spouse and family can truly go a long way in situations like these. There are many aspects of this problem that need to change.

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

Typically, startups are either solving an old problem in a new manner or are approaching a new problem altogether – either way they are looking to make an impact. And to succeed in creating an unforgettable impression, a comprehensive and rounded perspective is imperative – you’re not going to get that by hiring people with similar skillsets or personality types. Even an old problem can be resolved by coming at it from a different angle, and having people at the table who can give these diverse points of view, is priceless. In addition, I believe women are an invaluable resource to any team since they are more organised, cohesive and focused.

What's the one thing that you see AI transforming completely?  

I mentioned earlier that the impact of AI in social impact fields like education is only just starting. For starters, education is a data-rich sector but currently, exists in silos. AI can break these barriers, glean some valuable insights and help companies build meaningful and useful tools that could change the way children are taught. Rote learning is prevalent in so many countries, but with AI and related tools like AR/VR and simulation, we can build a future marked by experiential learning and equip children with limitless possibilities in the realm of education. Another problem that plagues the education industry in India is the monotonous rigmarole of grading papers and proctoring – with tools like OCR, ML and DL, these tasks can be automated and allow teachers to spend more time honing their craft. The possibilities are endless, and we’re only just scratching the surface.

Your biggest AI nightmare? 

Bad data input leads to bad data output – its an age old problem in machine intelligence but shockingly more common than one would imagine. Bad data can throw a wrench in the most sophisticated and advanced business plans involving analytics, so the first order of things for any AI-based company would be to ensure they have a clean funnel of data, stripped of bias, incorrect data etc. Unless these initial steps are not supervised, the future of AI will look weaker.

What's your advice for other women who wants to a journey similar to yours? 

Never stop looking for the right opportunity, and once you find it, just jump right in. There are plenty of opportunities for everyone in the world of tech to find their niche and excel – what matters is passion and confidence. I’ve also come to believe that the higher you go, the lonelier it gets. This is why its even more important for women to support and encourage each other, and never stop doing that.