An ever-advancing artificial intelligence (AI) has taken over the homo sapiens (wise humans) world by storm. Here are the machines with extraordinary computational capabilities now learning to be smart or even smarter than their creators. However, can they be? Can the creation become bigger than the creator?
Or will it always be the case, which is now, that some of the most influential leaders in AI, who are shaping the current course of technologies, will maintain their dominance?
“Of course, creators will always hold control and dominance over their creation,” says Krishna Prasad Nagaraj, the CEO and Founder of The Skill Bridge and one of the most influential leaders in the global AI field. You must believe it if Krishna says so because he has emerged as India’s leading AI thought leader in recent times.
Also an Author, Krishna has recently launched a book titled, ‘The Leadership Feed,’ explaining what true leadership means and how anybody can achieve it. As an AI transformational thought leader himself, Krishna’s USPs stem from a mix of strategic foresight, voice of the customer, and a desire to bring about real change. These factors have contributed to his current position in the following ways:
~Thinking Forward with an Innovation Focus—Krishna anticipates market shifts and matches AI with company goals. As a leader, his ability to see possibilities and implement successful AI solutions has been an advantage.
~Business Transformation using AI—He has managed 1,300 personnel in numerous places and pushed AI in all the products of his companies so he can make difficult changes. These experiences have increased his operational competence and ability to lead teams through substantial changes for efficiency and innovation.
~Continuous Learning and Flexibility—AI is always evolving, says Krishna. Thus, his design thinking, cognitive behavioural coaching, and strategic execution certifications show his dedication to learning. His agility lets him stay up with technology and provide innovative, well-informed AI in business viewpoints.
Pillars of Success
According to Krishna, Success in the artificial intelligence field hinges on three pillars—innovation, empathy, and continual learning—“and these three things form the basis of my guiding philosophy,” he adds.
*First and foremost, he has always been committed to innovation. Whether he was working in operations or spearheading AI-driven initiatives, Krishna’s goal has always been to use technology to solve problems in the real world. Innovation has always been his top priority, whether he’s been leading the launch of a SaaS product at M9 Software or promoting the use of artificial intelligence at Sprinklr.
*Empathy: Krishna says it is vital to grasp the requirements of stakeholders and customers. As someone who has worked in customer success and achieved substantial retention rates with zero escalations, he knows firsthand how important it is to listen to and address each client’s individual needs. Despite its immense capability, AI must constantly prioritize human needs and ethical concerns.
*Thirdly, a dedication to lifelong learning is essential if one wants to keep up with the ever-changing AI field and its potential uses across industries.
Leadership is the Power
There is another component to success—the leadership approach. According to Krishna, providing team members with the resources they need to succeed and fuelling innovation is his leadership in a nutshell. “As a leader, I think it’s important to foster a culture of creativity and trust my staff to make their own judgments,” he insists. On-tune, he ensures his team members are willing to try new things and take chances by creating a space where they feel appreciated and supported.
Mentorship: Leading the Future of Leadership: Krishna tailors his mentoring style to each mentee because he knows that everyone has their own set of skills, limitations, and professional goals. They are able to overcome obstacles, improve their abilities, and reach their career objectives with his personalized advice. By taking this track, Krishna has been able to mentor a large number of people, enabling them to climb the corporate ladder and make significant contributions to their companies.
A Novel Mindset
Furthermore, Krishna believes that artificial intelligence requires innovation, disruption, and a pleasant user experience, prioritizing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. He balances it by:
Finding a balance between efficiency and customer happiness requires understanding the customer’s needs and issues. Krishna prioritizes listening to customers and gathering insights to ensure their innovations fulfil their needs. This focus on the consumer ensures that every technical change improves their experience. He likes an iterative approach to AI. This way, customer feedback is incorporated throughout. To avoid sacrificing user happiness for operational efficiency, customers should be involved early and often in solution improvement.
Finding a balance between short-term and long-term goals: While operational efficiency is crucial to a company’s long-term success, consumers’ urgent needs must never be ignored, says Krishna. He balances strategic, long-term goals with timely client responses. “In this manner, we can meet current client needs without compromising future growth.”
He adds that the AI industry is notoriously fast-changing and volatile. Keeping his operations and client relations flexible prepares Krishna for this. Being adaptable means you can swiftly shift direction to keep things operating smoothly and people satisfied.
Embracing Evolution
Digitalization and technological advancements are crucial aspects of the modern AI ecosystem, which Krishna shares and embraces by incorporating AI-driven solutions into all areas of operations -from the automation of mundane chores to the use of data analytics for well-informed decision-making. To make sure they’re always ahead of the curve, he promotes a culture of constant innovation and encourages his mentees to try out new technology as they come out. In addition to improving efficiency, this method is in sync with client needs, which leads to operational excellence and happy customers. Krishna is dedicated to putting strategies into action and fostering collaboration across functional areas to make sure that these breakthroughs help create a future where technology and innovation drive growth.
Teaming with Talents
The workforce is the cornerstone of any successful endeavour. To foster a culture of growth, skill development, and empowerment among his clients, Krishna takes several steps. By placing an emphasis on personalized tactics that speak to the specific requirements of each client, he cultivates an environment that is conducive to learning, development, and empowerment. Before he can create individualized plans for their training and development, Krishna ensures that he fully understands their organization’s objectives and difficulties. Ensuring that staff are prepared to manage the ever-changing technology world is a key focus of these initiatives, which also include upskilling and the use of artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve skills.
In his work with clients, Krishna assists in the development of resilient, adaptive teams capable of driving long-term success for their companies by incorporating opportunities for continuous learning and promoting an innovative attitude.
Conquering Challenges
Being an experienced leader with expertise in leading expansive teams across diverse locations, driving growth, enhancing retention, ensuring exceptional customer experience, and fostering product success. Krishna had his share of challenges. Yet, every time, his resilience and ingenuity triumphed over adversity. He oversaw a team of 1,300 people on nine different sites, handling customers for AOL and Yahoo! while he was the Senior Manager of Operations at Verizon. That experience stands out. The difficulty started when their operations were severely interrupted by an abrupt change in company strategy, which caused operational bottlenecks and increased customer escalations, he recalls.
In order to avoid a decrease in service quality and client happiness, prompt action was necessary. Krishna utilized a two-pronged strategy: first, he concentrated on streamlining operations by finding inefficiencies using data analytics. “We drastically cut down on turnaround times by automating common operations and optimizing workflows with AI-driven solutions.”
His second priority was improving communication and team spirit. He had regular check-ins to offer support and solicit input, making sure that everyone felt heard and appreciated because he understood the strain the team was under. Krishna elaborates, “We restored operational stability by re-aligning teams with the new strategy and giving them the autonomy and resources they needed to accomplish their responsibilities effectively.”
The Origin of Victory
When asked how he can manage so much in such a competent way, Krishna says that it is all thanks to his journey and motivation to enter the then-nascent niche of AI. “An insatiable hunger for new ideas and cutting-edge tech propelled me into the artificial intelligence field.” His experience in product management, supply chain operations, and customer success prepared him well for a career in artificial intelligence. Krishna Co-founded M9 Software & Services and served as its director of operations until they launched their cloud-based software as a service product. That was the turning point in his career. Krishna was compelled to investigate AI’s revolutionary possibilities after this event and his subsequent positions leading AI-based initiatives at Yahoo and Sprinklr.
The ambition to use AI to address practical issues and propel company expansion was the impetus for joining this ever-changing environment, says Krishna, the alumni of St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bangalore. He felt compelled to go further into AI because of the industry-changing possibilities it offers and the speed with which it is developing. “I have had the privilege of leading and influencing the adoption of AI across multiple enterprises throughout the years, and I have contributed to the creation of creative solutions that have had a direct impact on business outcomes,” he adds.
Advising Aspirants
Today, when he looks back with satisfaction, it gives him the courage to envision the future and help others to course their success path. Krishna believes that businesses are a way for Indian industry to pace up its economic potential and capacity. Thus, he advises other budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the AI space with encouraging words.
Innovation, customer-centricity, and, most importantly, building and selling products that are super-easy to adopt should be the focal points of each ambitious AI entrepreneur’s efforts.
Use innovation for a Reason—The capacity to innovate is crucial to your success, and innovation should have a purpose. Find problems in the real world and create AI solutions to solve them.
He adds: One of your most valuable assets is your crew. Encourage a spirit of teamwork, creativity, and perseverance. Give your team members the freedom, responsibility, and resources they need to succeed, and watch them flourish. The strength and motivation of your squad will determine how far you go.
Emphasize Ethical AI – Keep in mind the significance of AI ethics while you construct your company. Your solutions should be open, equitable, and crafted to have a constructive influence on society. In the end, you’ll stand out from the competition if you build trust through ethical AI techniques.
Fostering a Tech-Transformed Tomorrow
Looking ahead, Krishna divulges, “By promoting efforts that stress sustainable growth, ethical AI practices, and widespread AI use across industries, I aim to further establish my support and advocacy for AI innovation by 2024.”
*Expanding AI’s Use Across Sectors—He intends to take the lead in paving the way for AI integration in historically neglected areas like education, healthcare, and agriculture. His goal is to help companies improve their efficiency, inclusivity, and productivity by creating and advocating for scalable AI solutions specific to these industries’ needs.
“Second, we must fight for ethical AI,” he adds. He aims to spearhead India’s ethical AI movement in 2024, fighting for open, equitable, and responsible AI research and development.
Thirdly, fostering the talent of the AI industry’s upcoming generation – Mentoring, teaching, and community service are all parts of Krishna’s plan to help shape the AI workforce of the future. He concludes, “I hope to help the next generation of AI pioneers and innovators by building communities where people can learn from one another and grow professionally.” Collaborations with schools, AI incubators, and tech groups will be necessary to promote a mindset of lifelong learning and new ideas.
