Shikha is an AI Product Leader, innovator, and former entrepreneur - currently responsible for strategy and vision of some of the most innovative and impactful investments for the AI discovery engine at Meta, personalizing content recommendations for billions of users on Instagram and Facebook everyday. 

Can you tell us about your AI journey?  

I am an AI Product Leader currently responsible for strategy and vision of some of the most innovative and impactful investments for the AI discovery engine at Meta, personalizing content recommendations for billions of users on Instagram and Facebook everyday. Prior to this, I led teams to launch several industry leading products for Google's AI assistant, helping millions of users around the world be more productive and organized. I have been honored with several accolades, including being featured among top female trailblazers in AI at Google I/O.  I started my career as a software engineer, and over the years have led teams to build innovative category defining products in AI, productivity, media and e-commerce. 

What is your area of expertise in AI, and what made you choose it? 

I have led teams to build innovative industry leading products across Conversational AI, Recommendations and Generative AI. Through this, what has driven my choices has been my desire to learn and grow, work with a group of incredible people who are smart, driven and yet humble, and together push the boundaries of what is considered possible. My background  in Computer Science, Business and Entrepreneurship allows me to bring unique value to the table and drive 0-1 AI initiatives in large organizations with clarity on how they can solve pain points of our users. It has been incredibly fulfilling to see my work push new frontiers of AI technology innovation while improving the lives of billions of users around the world everyday- helping them be more productive, effective and entertained. 

What’s your advice for Indian entrepreneurs looking to adopt AI? 

• Find your niche: Identify a specific Indian market challenge and craft an AI solution that solves for that unique pain point. Some examples include personalized learning for students, hyper-local e-commerce logistics, or smart farming for agriculture. 
• Leverage your data with privacy and ethical considerations in mind: Leverage AI to understand your users better, optimize marketing campaigns, or to deliver extraordinary customer service. Keep industry best practices in mind to protect user data privacy and safety. 
• Start small: Begin with a focused pilot project, test it on real users, and iterate. Remember that the user experience is key – ensure that users can interact with your AI product in an easy to use fashion. 

Is it easy to be a female leader in AI today?  

I think it's more helpful to ask if it is worth it. For an industry that is going to have a pervasive impact, we require diverse voices to ensure that we build solutions that will benefit everyone around the globe. So it’s absolutely essential to have female leaders in AI.  

AI is a fast evolving space, so it’s important that we provide support structures and communities for female leaders to learn and grow together. It’s also important to have relatable role models- as I strongly believe that you cannot be what you cannot see. Organizations such as Women in Product, Women in Voice etc are doing a great job of creating forums for amplifying voices of female leaders and for them to connect and learn from each other. 

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

• Follow your dreams, even if they seem ridiculous, especially if they seem ridiculous. We have far more say in shaping our future than we think. I have learned through multiple situations that destiny, fate, unfavorable circumstances and difficult people will all eventually give in, if we don’t give up. 
• Authentic commitment and passion towards our goals is an underrated super power- I have seen that people are drawn towards it and will go out of their way to support it, beyond anything you can imagine. There were many times in my life where I took on goals that seemed completely impossible - however I found people wanting to contribute and support my mission because of my unwavering commitment and passion towards it.  
• Find your tribe- As mentioned above, having a supportive community is very important. Find the tribe of people who you can learn from, who believe in you, push you to follow your dreams, and are there for you as you navigate challenges in this journey. I find that many women get stopped when they are not able to get mentorship from senior leaders. It's a myth that you can only learn from this one mentor who is supposed to be more senior than you. It's more helpful to have a personal board of directors- multiple folks you lean in on for a variety of topics based on their expertise. Many of them can be your peers or junior to you, but are still able to offer expertise on specific topics. 
• Own your difference- Find what is unique about you, your background and your perspectives and own it, unapologetically. Don’t be afraid to stand out of the crowd and own your voice.