What has been your business/work highlight of 2024 so far?

One of the biggest highlights this year is the interest I’m seeing from multiple Sprinklr customers across different industries around how Sprinklr approaches AI responsibly.

Sprinklr has been working on building responsible AI within our Unified-CXM platform for years. However, the fact that there is critical interest from our customers highlights the growing awareness and importance of responsible AI.

I’m thrilled to see this interest because Sprinklr has an AI governance and compliance committee comprised of several teams, including legal and engineering, and we’re incredibly proactive right now in developing responsible AI that meets our clients’ needs. Our clients are large enterprises that have incredibly ambitious goals with AI, but they are often in regulated industries, and Sprinklr ensures that they can maximise business value from AI in a safe way.

Who is your business hero and why?

Right now I have a handful of heroes I see in the AI space. Most of them are pushing the envelope when it comes to how we should develop AI in a way that takes an honest note of how it affects the human condition. They are leaders in responsible AI development, helping educate newcomers to AI about the real costs and exciting potential of AI, and more. A few top examples of AI heroes include Allie K Miller, Kate Crawford, and Ravit Dotan.

What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?

The biggest business mistake I ever made was burning out. Years ago I worked at an amazing startup that was building exciting technology with super smart people. I loved the work but I didn’t put enough value on creating balance in my life, and suddenly my life became all about work. What I learned from that, and what I’m practising now, is to focus on true balance.

One of my former bosses used to say, “Taking time out in order to invest time in is really important.” This is something I’ve internalized at Sprinklr. The work at Sprinklr is incredibly interesting especially with our investments in AI, but there has always been a priority on finding balance here. I work remotely but have a global role which means some days I may wake up early and stay up late for calls, so I can be flexible about how I spend my afternoons. I know I’ll be my best self at work when I take some time for myself, too.

What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read and why?

I recently finished Atlas of AI by Kate Crawford, a leading scholar of the social and political implications of artificial intelligence. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in how AI will impact society. It widens your view of what really goes into building AI and making it mainstream.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in 2024?

The biggest challenge I face isn’t about deciding if we should use new AI. It’s about what we should do with it first. There is an abundance of opportunity with AI and the way to success is determining what type of capabilities or focus areas you should prioritise first.

At Sprinklr, I’m motivated by our pragmatic approach to generative AI. We think about how to drive value first and slow down to get it right before we launch a new capability.

What technology will have the greatest impact on your business this year and why?

My bet is smaller and/or customisable LLMs. Whether that is from the fantastic companies that we integrate with or Sprinklr developing our own generative AI that is smaller and nimble.