On February 15, 2025, the American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) hosted an enlightening Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit at the University of California, Santa Clara (UCSC), marking the 10th anniversary of its Silicon Valley chapter.
The conference brought together a distinguished group of academics, industry leaders, and innovators to explore the latest advancements in AI, including the rise of Digital Workers, GenAI, Agentic AI, and the critical need for Responsible AI practices.
The event began with an inspiring welcome from UCSC Dean PK Agarwal and ASEI Silicon Valley President Piyush Malik, setting the tone for an engaging day of discussions. The Consul General of India in San Francisco, Dr. Srikar Reddy, opened the proceedings with insights into India’s growing digital economy and how AI is being leveraged by the Indian government to improve citizens’ lives. Drawing from Prime Minister Modi’s speeches at the AI Action Summit in Paris, Dr. Reddy emphasized the strength of the Indo-US relationship and the potential for AI to drive mutual prosperity.
“Let’s hope MAGA + MIGA make MEGA partnership in the Indo-US relationship,” Dr. Reddy quipped, highlighting the robust collaboration between India and Silicon Valley in AI.
A cultural touch was added with a classical Indian music performance by Sohum Gupta, a high school STEM student, before the audience dove into the core discussions of the day. AI Strategist and Author Tonya Long emceed the event and introduced Piyush Malik, the conference chair, who has been a key player in AI for over three decades and is the founder of TheDigitalAgenda.
California Congressman Ro Khanna also delivered a video message, underscoring his anticipation for actionable AI policy recommendations. His focus was on how AI can solve significant global challenges, such as disease cures and energy issues, while ensuring safe and responsible implementation.
The day’s highlight came from Hans Sandhu, Chief Business Officer of TheAgentic, a GenAI company challenging leading AI players. Sandhu shared his vision of “Digital workers eating SaaS,” describing the rise of autonomous digital agents that will work seamlessly alongside employees, fundamentally changing the landscape of business software.
Later, Piyush Malik sat down for a fireside chat with Arvind Jain, the Founder and CEO of Glean, an AI-powered work assistant that has revolutionized business productivity. Jain shared how Glean’s $100M ARR and $4.6 billion valuation reflect the massive growth potential of generative AI. He emphasized that AI won’t replace jobs, but rather, it will amplify productivity, urging the audience to embrace AI-powered workflows for long-term success.
Investor and serial entrepreneur Dr. Muddu Sudhakar delivered an energetic talk on AI disruption, detailing how policies like Trump 2.0 and tariffs are impacting AI startups. With an impressive history of founding successful companies and selling them to tech giants, Sudhakar offered invaluable insights into the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
One of the day’s most insightful discussions revolved around the pressing issue of Responsible AI, featuring Mihir Shukla, CEO of Automation Anywhere, and Debu Chatterjee, CEO of Konfer. The duo tackled topics like AI privacy, security, and compliance, stressing the need for ethical guardrails as AI continues to integrate into every facet of life.
The session on industry use cases of AI and GenAI brought together a diverse panel moderated by Lenin Gali, CBO of AtomicWork. Dr. Ashwin Rao, a Stanford professor and financial services expert, along with Dr. Uma Gayathri, a biotechnologist at SETI, shared their experiences in applying AI to sectors ranging from supply chain management to drug discovery.
The closing session of the conference featured a star-studded panel of inventors-turned-executives: Dr. Raj Yavatkar, CTO of Juniper Networks; Rama Akkiraju, NVIDIA VP; and Shikhar Kwatra, an executive at OpenAI. These technology pioneers shared practical advice for navigating the disruption brought on by Agentic AI, underscoring the importance of both technical expertise and business acumen in adapting to this new age.
With almost 10 book authors and nearly 1,000 patents among the speakers, the event was a testament to the depth of talent within the Indian diaspora and ASEI’s commitment to fostering AI thought leadership. The conference also marked ASEI’s 10th birthday in Silicon Valley, with a celebratory cake cutting to cap off a day of impactful discussions and networking.
The ASEI Career Readiness Conference not only illuminated the immense potential of AI but also showcased the organization’s role in connecting professionals and thought leaders to shape the future of AI in a responsible, ethical manner.
(Used with permission)
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