Dilip Prasad, Co-Founder & CEO, Ayun AI, embodies the right fusion of innovative skills and academic achievements to expand the frontiers of creativity. His achievements in exploring the intersections of artificial intelligence, life sciences, physics and environmental sciences are just a few of the pursuits that crown him with leadership skills to provide exemplary leadership at Ayun AI.
In an interview with Business Frontier, Dilip Prasad discusses the upcoming field of AI and how he marries it to sustainability.
What qualities do you think have propelled you to the forefront of success?
My success is rooted in a blend of robust academic achievements, innovative entrepreneurship, and impactful mentorship. My contributions to scalable and sustainable artificial intelligence have led to multiple patents. As a founder of multiple startups, I have shown leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit. Collaborative engagements in academia and industry have expanded my influence and facilitated continuous innovation. Notable awards, including the Rolls-Royce Inventor Award, and being consistently listed in Stanford’s top 2% of scientists validate the high impact and credibility of my work.
From being a professor at The Arctic University of Norway to a visiting faculty member at the National University of Singapore, you straddle the world of research and academics. What do you think lies behind your academic success?
My academic journey has been fueled by curiosity and a grit that drives my engagement with complex interdisciplinary fields. I’m constantly innovating, adapting to ever-evolving technologies, and exploring the intersections of artificial intelligence, life sciences, physics and environmental sciences. This pursuit not only satisfies my innate curiosity but also propels the boundaries of academic inquiry.
How has working with global names like IBM, Infosys, Mediatek and Philips enriched your professional and personal journey?
Working with these leading companies has offered a wealth of diverse and challenging experiences. In 2006, I was part of the Mediatek team that developed India’s first smartphone. The following year, as a software architect at Philips, I played a key role in creating the company’s first internet TV. These roles provided a global perspective on market dynamics and consumer needs, enhancing my ability to integrate diverse insights into our products.
What is the crux of your leadership style? How do you use it to benefit Finiac, the portable head scanning device that you have founded?
My leadership style at Finiac, where I am the Chief Operating Officer, combines empowerment with strategic foresight and a deep trust in my team’s abilities. I foster a culture which encourages our team to innovate and take decisive actions confidently. I believe in providing the necessary training and support, viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth and providing continuous feedback to facilitate improvement.
Can you throw some light on the founding of Ayun AI?
While collaborating with developing countries facing challenges such as limited resources and pressing climate change issues, I was inspired to delve into research on energy-efficient AI. Over three years of dedicated sustainable AI research, I recognised a critical need for technologies that could directly address these global challenges. This led to the founding of Ayun AI, a company committed to reducing the energy consumption associated with AI development and usage.
There seem to be few organisations which integrate sustainability in AI. How does Ayun marry the two concepts?
At Ayun AI, we are dedicated to marrying sustainability with artificial intelligence by developing energy-efficient AI solutions for vision, multimodal and NLP AI models. We focus on model compression techniques that significantly reduce energy consumption and lower carbon footprints, making all types of AI including large language models (LLM) more sustainable and environment- friendly.
AI is buzzing in the business firmament today even more than the dot-com boom two decades ago. What do you think are the challenges AI faces at the global level?
Despite creating a buzz akin to the dot-com boom, AI faces significant global challenges. One major issue is ensuring AI systems are ethical and free from biases. Without careful design and diverse training datasets, AI can perpetuate existing biases. Another challenge is the development of uniform regulatory frameworks across countries, each with its own priorities and legal standards. This makes it difficult to establish a coherent set of global rules governing AI’s development and deployment. Additionally, there’s a notable talent shortage in the AI field. Data privacy and security are also major concerns. Furthermore, the disparity in AI adoption between developed and developing nations could exacerbate existing economic and social divides. Moreover, the significant computational power required for AI raises environmental concerns.
What is your advice to young entrepreneurs launching AI start-ups?
Launching an AI startup is an exhilarating yet challenging journey. Start by identifying a clear, real-world problem that your AI can solve, ensuring your solution is deeply rooted in actual needs and pain points. Remember “Webapp is not a startup”. If the entry barrier is too low for your domain, then one cannot maintain an edge for very long. Assemble a diverse team to enhance the effectiveness of your AI and help avoid biases in your models. Focus on collecting, cleaning, and ethically sourcing high-quality data. Forge partnerships with academic institutions and industry leaders to access essential resources and insights that can accelerate your development. Understand the regulatory landscape in your target markets to ensure compliance and build trust. Secure sufficient funding, as AI development is resource intensive. Finally, design your infrastructure for scalability from the start to accommodate rapid growth and demand.
What do you do when not teaching, mentoring or leading?
At leisure, I indulge my curiosity by continuously learning new and diverse things. Due to time constraints, I often listen to summaries of two to three books every day on various topics to satiate my thirst for knowledge without committing to lengthy reads. I am also an avid outdoor sports enthusiast with a particular passion for water sports. Activities like kayaking, sailing, and surfing provide a great way to unwind and maintain my fitness.
