iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
On February 15th, the American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) held its highly anticipated AI Summit at the UCSC Silicon Valley campus, marking a significant milestone—the 10-year anniversary of its Silicon Valley chapter.
The event brought together an impressive lineup of academics, researchers, innovators, and industry leaders from the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to discuss the latest advancements, applications, and challenges in this transformative technology.
The summit kicked off with a warm welcome from the co-hosts of the event, Piyush Malik, President of ASEI Silicon Valley, and PK Agarwal, Dean of UCSC. Their opening remarks set the stage for the day-long discussions on AI’s role in shaping the future. The event, which drew a diverse audience, was filled with thought-provoking conversations and insights, making it an excellent platform for knowledge exchange and networking.
A key highlight of the event was the address by Dr. Srikar Reddy, Consul General of India in San Francisco. He offered valuable perspectives on India’s evolving digital economy, emphasizing the country’s growing influence in AI research and development. Dr. Reddy shared how the Indian government is utilizing AI to improve lives and livelihoods, particularly through initiatives like the India AI mission, which aims to drive innovation and aid sectors like agriculture. Drawing from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speeches at the AI Action Summit in Paris and his visit to the US, Dr. Reddy remarked, “Let’s hope MAGA + MIGA make MEGA partnership in the Indo-U.S. relationship,” underscoring the collaborative potential between India and the U.S. in the AI space.
Before diving into the intense discussions, attendees were treated to a special performance by Sohum Gupta, a young high school STEM student, who played classical Indian music. This set a vibrant tone for the day, blending culture and innovation, and showing the multifaceted nature of AI’s impact on diverse fields.
Piyush Malik, who has over three decades of experience in Data and AI, kicked off the summit by introducing several industry leaders. He has held leadership roles in global organizations such as PwC, IBM, and Google and is the founder of TheDigitalAgenda. In addition to his role as the founding president of ASEI Silicon Valley, Malik’s contributions to the tech ecosystem have been instrumental in shaping AI discussions.
One of the most engaging sessions was a fireside chat between Piyush Malik and Arvind Jain, Founder and CEO of Glean, a rapidly growing generative AI unicorn startup. Glean, with a $100M annual recurring revenue (ARR) and a $4.6 billion valuation, is revolutionizing the workplace with its AI-powered assistant, which acts as “Google Search for business.” The discussion touched on the history of AI, from its early roots in research labs to its exponential growth, especially after the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI. Arvind Jain highlighted that AI’s role is not to eliminate jobs but to amplify human productivity, emphasizing that the biggest risk companies face today is not embracing AI-driven workflows.
Investor and serial entrepreneur Dr. Muddu Sudhakar delivered a high-energy talk on “The AI Disruption & Opportunities.” As the founding CEO of Aisera, Dr. Sudhakar has seen firsthand how AI is disrupting industries and providing new avenues for innovation. He shared insights into the potential political and economic implications of AI, touching on issues like the impact of Trump 2.0 policies, tariffs, and how AI startups could navigate the challenges ahead.
One of the key debates of the summit centered around the responsible use of AI, particularly in terms of privacy and security. Mihir Shukla, CEO of Automation Anywhere, and Debu Chatterjee, CEO of Konfer, engaged in an insightful fireside chat discussing how the AI industry is grappling with compliance and the importance of embedding privacy and security measures in AI systems. As leaders in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), both Shukla and Chatterjee stressed the importance of ensuring that AI technologies are developed and implemented responsibly, without compromising ethical standards.
The summit also featured a lively discussion on industry use cases for AI and generative AI (GenAI). Moderated by Lenin Gali, CBO of AtomicWork, this session featured Dr. Ashwin Rao, a Stanford professor and AI researcher at SETI Institute, and Dr. Uma Gayathri, a biotechnologist at SETI. The session provided an exciting look at AI’s applications across various industries, including service management, supply chain, drug discovery, and medtech. The work of the SETI Institute, which uses AI to search for extraterrestrial life, added an intriguing dimension to the conversation.
The final session of the summit featured a powerhouse panel of inventors turned executives: Dr. Raj Yavatkar (CTO at Juniper Networks), Rama Akkiraju (VP at NVIDIA), and Shikhar Kwatra (OpenAI). These experts, who previously held influential positions at IBM, shared their thoughts on how to thrive in the rapidly changing world of AI and agents. Their session, “Career Readiness with AI & Agents,” provided practical tips for students and professionals on adapting to the upcoming AI disruption. The panelists discussed how AI is reshaping the workforce and offered valuable advice on how to position oneself for success in this evolving landscape.
As the summit drew to a close, the mood was festive as ASEI Silicon Valley celebrated its 10th anniversary with a cake-cutting ceremony. Board members and co-organizers Niharika Srivastav and Rakesh Guliani led the celebrations, marking the chapter’s decade of contributions to the AI and tech communities in Silicon Valley. The summit’s success was a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the continued growth of the Indian diaspora in the tech world.
The ASEI AI Summit was an inspiring and thought-provoking event that highlighted the immense potential of AI and its transformative power in various industries. With insightful presentations, engaging discussions, and an excellent mix of cultural and technical content, the summit not only celebrated the advancements of the past decade but also set the stage for the future of AI. ASEI Silicon Valley’s ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the tech community ensures that its influence will continue to grow for years to come.
