Ruma Mukherjee, Principal Engineer for Chubb India, has over 20 years of experience in a rich mix of technologies, data and business understanding with a strong combination of strategic, analytical, technical and process skills.  

She specializes in driving data-driven transformation in organizations. She has been leading and managing geographically distributed teams engaged in Product Development and Analytics Research and Consulting. 

Can you tell us about your AI journey?  

It began with coding my first neural network algorithm 25 years back in my BTech final year project. There were no standard Python ML libraries available back then, and ML was more an area of pure research. Luckily, I was under the able guidance of great mentors and teachers in this field, and that provided the inspiration to dream about the emergence of an AI-driven world over time. It was only after a few years that I could see a widespread adoption of AI/ML-backed solutions in the industry. I started with Big Data engineering and then moved to formulating and solving real business problems with AI/ML. I worked in multiple MNCs, defining the strategic vision and technical roadmap for AI/ML initiatives and bringing in data-driven transformation from scratch. Slowly, I started mentoring and working with the startup ecosystem and universities through industry collaboration initiatives in AI. I am still learning every day, and my passion remains the same as it was 25 years ago! 

Describe some challenges you have faced in reaching where you are now.   

The opportunities in AI were limited when I entered the industry, and it is enormous now. This change is phenomenal, and I consider myself fortunate to have seen this transformation during my professional career. Of course, this required me to pick up new skills and qualifications to develop the required capabilities. It required balancing my professional commitments and personal life as a mother of two children. While bringing in data-driven transformation in the industry, I faced challenges in establishing organizational faith in AI, removing fear and insecurity from the minds of the human workforce, and formulating, designing and delivering the right AI solutions aligned to business needs. While people often come up with PoCs and propose potential wonders with AI, it is extremely difficult to produce them, especially in mission-critical real-life applications.  

Can you analyze the impact of generative AI in your field of expertise?   

The promise of generative AI is mind-boggling. It is emerging and has revolutionized traditional methods. It could free people from most repetitive and mundane tasks and even certain aspects of software development. This will eventually shift the intelligent human brain power into higher unsolved problem spaces - this is good. On the other hand, it is destroying human creativity, faking news and pictures and, overall, bringing chaos and challenges to ethical, unbiased AI practices. The cost of supporting generative AI use cases in the industry is huge and may not be easy to justify. Overall, it is the time to wait, watch, learn, unlearn and strive for the optimum balance in the field.  

Do you see enough female leadership roles in corporate companies? In your opinion, what should change?     

Women leaders in technology are indeed limited, but the situation is better than when I started. It is to be realized that the root cause is quite fundamental. Encouraging young girls in STEM education and policies to support women in specific times of need are social responsibilities realized by universities and companies worldwide. Times are changing for the better - increased maternity leaves, women-preferred job roles, women communities, mentorship and support systems, and social acceptance of working mothers are few to call out. I am a part of many such initiatives, along with many responsible men and women across the industry. I hope there will be a steady and harmonious transformation in this area.  

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

In general, women should start believing in their inner strength and take advantage of industry-driven initiatives that foster a diverse work culture. They should find the right mentor and seek help to shape themselves up to be the next generation of tech leaders in the industry. AI is an emerging field, and the potential is immense. More participation of women is essential for a balanced and unbiased growth in AI. Requesting women from all sections of society to strive for excellence- break social stereotypes, be bold, upskill, network and be fully engaged in the immense technological changes across the industry. Women are indispensable for the healthy, balanced AI workforce of the future.