Dubai, UAE: Indian American Navin Chaddha, Managing Partner of Mayfield Fund, describes Artificial Intelligence (AI) as “Collaborative Intelligence,” emphasizing that humans should view AI as a teammate that enhances their capabilities rather than a replacement.

Speaking at a fireside chat with Indiaspora Founder & Chairman MR Rangaswami during the Indiaspora Global AI Summit on February 26, 2025, at the iconic Museum of the Future in the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), Chaddha shared his perspective: “I don’t look at it at it’s going to take over jobs. I look at it what the title is as collaborative intelligence. Machines and humans will work together to elevate humans to super humans, they will help.”

He stressed the importance of embracing AI, maintaining control over it, and leveraging it to achieve previously impossible feats, highlighting AI’s potential as an indispensable “teammate.”

“We look at them as digital companions, digital workers who will work along with us to change the way we work, live, and play. They’ll really help us augment our capability,” he said underscoring AI’s progress in fields like healthcare and education but emphasized the need for responsible AI governance. He urged the public sector to establish clear guidelines to ensure ethical and effective AI deployment.

To build a responsible AI ecosystem, Chaddha advised: “Keep human in mind. Keep privacy in mind. Keep data regulations in mind. Keep AI governance in mind. So, build a responsible AI company. Then if there is government regulator, endorse it. Why are we fighting it?”

He also advised against referring to ChatGPT as an “agent,” preferring the term “teammate” to reflect its role in boosting productivity.

“Overall, humans should decide, where do they want, copilot, where do they want an agent, where do they want a digital companion and together, collaborate with these tools,” he added. 

Chaddha’s Legacy in Tech and Venture Capital

Chaddha highlighted Mayfield Fund’s legacy as one of the earliest venture capital firms in the U.S., established in 1969. The firm specializes in technology and life sciences investments, specializing literally during “idea stage investing.” He added, “We have been extremely lucky to have invested in over 500 companies in our history, of which 120 have had IPOs, and another 225 have been acquired.” 

An IIT graduate from India, Chaddha came to Stanford on a scholarship in the 1990s. In 1992, while working on his PhD, he and his team invented video streaming over the internet to enable distance learning. This innovation laid the foundation for modern streaming platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and TikTok.

At just 25 years old, Chaddha founded his first company, which was quickly acquired by Microsoft to become Windows Media. Over the years, he founded multiple companies, all acquired by major tech firms. His deep industry expertise has earned him a spot on the Forbes Midas List for 16 consecutive years.

“You need to be at the right time, right place, and then you need to make bets with the right people. You have to back the right people, because we don’t run companies,” he added. “So, it’s a very humbling business, because it’s impossible to predict what will happen. But if you partner with the right people. Magic happens.”

Advice for Entrepreneurs

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Chaddha emphasized the importance of having a strong mission, surrounding themselves with excellence, and ensuring financial stability.

“Do a few things and do them well. We know eating too much food is unhealthy, and with startups, I’d rather have them die of starvation than indigestion.”

Indiaspora AI Summit and Dubai’s Future Vision

Rangaswami highlighted the significance of the Indiaspora Forum for Good (IFG) 2025 Summit, held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which drew over 500 global leaders from 33 countries. He described DFF as an iconic venue for an AI summit, given AI’s increasing role in shaping the future.

“This is an iconic place to host an AI Summit because the future might look something like this as we move ahead with AI hitting us from every direction,” he said, adding that Indiaspora recently signed an MoU with DFF.

DFF Deputy CEO and COO AbdulAziz Al Jaziri emphasized Dubai’s commitment to staying 10 years ahead in innovation, not just in technology but in reimagining industries and governance.

“We have always focused on building new industries, rethinking old ones, and ensuring that Dubai remains at the forefront of global innovation. Our government must be futuristic.”

With AI and technological advancements evolving rapidly, Dubai’s vision aligns with fostering innovation and responsible AI integration.

As part of the AI Summit on February 26th, industry leaders and innovators gathered to discuss the evolving role of AI. Kalindi Mehta, global VP at Estée Lauder, and Angad Chowdhry, founder of Quilt.AI, participated in the “Expert Panel Masterclass in Generative AI.” Anurag Banerjee, founder and CEO of Quilt.AI, explored “The Journey of Nostalgia in Indian Advertising,” while filmmaker Mauktik Kulkarni delved into “Art and Journalism in the Age of AI.”

The “AI Startup Showcase” featured insights from PK Gulati, chairman emeritus of TiE Global; Anuscha Iqbal, founder of Qanooni; Alok Kumar, founder of Cozmox AI; and Prem NarainDas, founder and CEO of Katonic. Additionally, Manu Chopra from Karya, leveraging technology to combat extreme poverty in India, and Utkarsh Saxena of Adalat AI, working to reform the court system with AI-driven solutions, also shared their expertise at the event.

Related posts:

‘Indiaspora Forum for Good’ to Unite Global Indian Leaders for Actionable Solutions, Collaboration, and Innovation  India-UAE Partnership Sets Global Standard for AI and Trade, Says India’s Consul General in Dubai Indiaspora Forum for Good 2025: Forging Relationships, Inspiring Action, and Strengthening Global Impact Indiaspora Forum for Good Summit in Abu Dhabi Strengthens India-UAE Partnership, Says UAE Minister