Generative AI is having its “iPhone second” in 2025 – a disruptive leap redefining how we construct and work together with clever programs. On the forefront of this revolution are visionary leaders from numerous domains, every pushing the boundaries of AI in distinctive methods.
From open-source innovators to enterprise AI architects, these GenAI leaders mix deep technical experience with inspiring management. Beneath, we highlight 15 GenAI luminaries—their area of interest specializations, groundbreaking initiatives, profession milestones, and the fervour that makes them stand out.
Whether or not you’re a developer, pupil, govt, or tech fanatic, prepare to fulfill the GenAI specialists & Agentic AI specialists lighting the way in which. Their tales showcase not solely cutting-edge applied sciences but additionally the human drive to show concepts into actuality. Every profile is a supply of inspiration and perception, reflecting why these people are famend within the GenAI discipline.
High GenAI Leaders to Meet in India in 2025

Dr. Kiran R
Dr. Kiran R is a polymath in apply, a Kaggle Grandmaster, prolific inventor, and seasoned engineering chief, all rolled into one. As Vice President of Engineering at Oracle, he presently spearheads a GenAI-first product suite inside Oracle’s healthcare division, constructing AI-powered options on a large cloud infrastructure.
Kiran’s prior tenure at Microsoft noticed him on the helm of one of many decade’s most groundbreaking merchandise: he was Associate Director & GM main the engineering of Microsoft’s Copilot initiatives. In that function, he guided the groups integrating GPT-powered copilots into instruments like Workplace and Azure, successfully bringing generative AI to hundreds of thousands of customers.
An utilized ML skilled, Dr. Kiran has a observe file of taking AI initiatives from idea to manufacturing at scale, together with constructing enterprise MLOps platforms and scalable ML providers within the cloud. His profession additionally spans being Senior Director of ML at VMware, showcasing his versatility throughout domains. Past company roles, Kiran is a hands-on innovator: he holds 40+ US patents and even achieved a world rating of #7 on Kaggle’s international information science competitors leaderboard. He’s broadly famend for his thought management (typically sharing greatest practices on utilized AI) and was acknowledged with awards like VMware’s CTO Award and Dell’s “Innovator of the 12 months” for his contributions.
Discover their full profile right here.
Dr. Qingyun Wu
Qingyun Wu stands on the reducing fringe of generative AI, the place educational rigor meets open-source innovation. She is the co-creator and co-founder of AG2 (previously AutoGen) – a number one open-source framework for AI brokers that has skyrocketed in recognition (over 700k month-to-month downloads and a 20k-strong developer group).
With AG2, Qingyun spearheaded a brand new paradigm of AI the place a number of brokers collaborate, self-evaluate, and iterate to resolve complicated issues. Her work is actually reimagining how AI “thinks” along with people, a imaginative and prescient acknowledged by the broader AI group. Now an Assistant Professor at Penn State’s Faculty of IST, Dr. Wu brings cutting-edge analysis into the classroom and lab, specializing in multi-agent programs and accountable AI.
She earned her Ph.D. in Laptop Science from the College of Virginia in 2020 and has already garnered prime honors – together with a SIGIR Greatest Paper Award and the Greatest Paper at ICLR 2024’s LLM Brokers Workshop. Qingyun’s area of interest experience lies in LLM-based agent orchestration: how massive fashions could be made to converse, cause, and work in groups to realize targets. Her pioneering framework AG2, co-developed with collaborators from business (Google DeepMind), has change into a go-to instrument for builders constructing complicated AI agent functions.
Seize your seat at DataHack Summit 2025- she’s guiding a sensible workshop titled ‘Mastering Actual-World Agentic AI Functions with AG2 (AutoGen)’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Dr. Joshua Starmer
Joshua Starmer, Ph.D., has turned statistics and machine studying right into a rockstar act – full with guitar riffs and crystal-clear explanations. Greatest often known as the creator of StatQuest, a wildly widespread YouTube channel, he co-founded it right into a enterprise that makes complicated information science ideas straightforward to understand. Josh’s expertise for demystifying matters like neural networks or p-values (typically via catchy songs or analogies) has made him a beloved determine within the AI group.
However behind the enjoyable is deep experience: he holds a Ph.D. in Biomathematics and spent years in academia, which informs the rigor of his content material. He later bridged into business, notably turning into the Lead AI Educator at Lightning AI (the corporate behind PyTorch Lightning), the place he developed academic sources to assist engineers and researchers use highly effective AI instruments.
He even runs dwell workshops (for example, coding a ChatGPT-like mannequin from scratch) to empower others to grasp generative AI below the hood. Acknowledged as a “honored determine in information science”, Dr. His affect spans a world viewers of AI fanatics who credit score StatQuest for conquering ideas as soon as discovered intimidating. And you’ll be a part of this checklist by becoming a member of his Hack Session on the DataHack Summit 2025 agenda- ‘Quantifying Our Confidence in Neural Networks and AI’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Anand S
Anand S wears the intriguing title of “LLM Psychologist,” and for good cause: he delves into the minds of huge language fashions to grasp why they do what they do, virtually like a therapist for AI. He’s the co-founder of Gramener, a famend information science firm recognized for its partaking information storytelling options. At Gramener, which was finally acquired by Straive, he helped construct instruments and initiatives that translated information into visible tales and insights for companies.
Now at Straive, Anand continues to mix humor, perception, and AI in his work, embodying the function of a storytelling information scientist. Anand’s area of interest is exploring LLM habits – he conducts experiments on how fashions reply below varied prompts or situations, successfully charting their “character” quirks. He shares these findings broadly, typically with a witty twist, through weblog posts, LinkedIn articles, and talks. In actual fact, Anand is an everyday TEDx speaker and is thought to be considered one of India’s prime 10 information scientists, reflecting his affect within the discipline.
It’s inspiring to see his capacity to humanize AI – he treats LLMs not simply as black-box fashions however as entities whose strengths and failings we will analyze, snigger about, and be taught from. By doing so, he helps companies and builders construct higher, extra aligned AI programs.
Discover their full profile right here.
David Zakkam
David Zakkam is a powerhouse in making use of AI and information science at huge scale. With practically 20 years of expertise, he has led information science and analytics groups throughout a few of the world’s most influential tech firms. At present a Director of Information Science at Uber, David is driving innovation in how the corporate optimizes its huge ride-sharing and supply community.
His journey included key management roles at Swiggy and Meta (Fb), giving him a uncommon breadth of perspective on client tech, logistics, and social networks. David’s area of interest is fixing real-world issues with information – whether or not it’s enhancing meals supply instances, enhancing social media experiences, or balancing Uber’s market in real-time.
At Uber, for instance, he has been instrumental in utilizing machine studying for dynamic pricing, demand forecasting, and danger analytics that hold the platform environment friendly. He additionally navigated crises just like the pandemic by leveraging information to adapt enterprise methods. Broadly revered in business, David ceaselessly shares insights on how information science can optimize buyer experiences and remedy complicated challenges.
Be a part of his insightful workshop ‘Agentic AI & Generative AI for Enterprise Leaders’ on the DataHack Summit 2025.
Discover their full profile right here.
Bhaskarjit Sarmah
Bhaskarjit Sarmah is proving that even on the planet’s largest asset administration agency, AI could be a game-changer. A Director and Principal Information Scientist at BlackRock, he leverages over 11 years of knowledge science experience to drive smarter decision-making in finance. Bhaskarjit focuses on making use of machine studying and community science to areas like liquidity danger analytics, securities lending, and market regime change detection – important features in funding administration.
By pioneering these ML options, he’s helped BlackRock uncover hidden patterns (for instance, recognizing pricing alternatives or early-warning alerts in markets) that give the agency and its shoppers an revolutionary edge. His technical prowess spans NLP and pc imaginative and prescient as properly, enabling him to extract insights from unstructured information (assume monetary information or stories) and switch them into actionable intelligence.
However past technical achievements, Bhaskarjit stands out as a thought chief in Accountable AI and AI for finance. He has been acknowledged as a High 5 GenAI Chief in India and obtained NASSCOM’s AI Sport Changer award for his contributions. Equally enthusiastic about training, he has taught round 12,000 learners in varied applications, together with classes at prestigious institutes like MIT and NYU.
Now you’ve gotten an opportunity to catch him dwell on the DataHack Summit 2025 for an interactive hack session on ‘Detecting and Mitigating Dangers in Agentic AI’.
Discover their full profile right here.
John Gilhuly
John Gilhuly champions a brand new frontier in AI: ensuring the clever creations are understood, measured, and trusted. As Head of Developer Relations at Arize AI, he focuses on open-source instruments for LLM observability and analysis, serving to builders monitor and enhance LLM efficiency.
With a novel mix of technical acumen and enterprise perception, John interprets complicated AI monitoring strategies into accessible options. He beforehand led go-to-market efforts at startups like Slingshot AI and constructed technical groups at Department Metrics, giving him a broad perspective from code to buyer. John’s area of interest lies in evaluating AI brokers and LLMs, making certain they align with human expectations.
Beneath his advocacy, Arize’s open-source initiatives (like Phoenix for LLM tracing) are empowering the AI group to diagnose fashions’ “thought processes” and biases. Famend as an educator and group builder, John ceaselessly shares insights on AI analysis – from convention phases to weblog posts – inspiring professionals to prioritize accountable, high-quality AI. Discover him on the DataHack Summit 2025 and attend his insightful hands-on workshop on ‘Constructing Actual-World LLM Brokers: Analysis, Optimization & Monitoring’.
By bridging builders with cutting-edge GenAI tooling, John Gilhuly helps form a future the place AI programs are as accountable and dependable as they’re highly effective.
Discover their full profile right here.
Alessandro Romano
Alessandro Romano is a dynamic GenAI innovator proving that enormous language fashions can drive affect throughout any business. With over seven years of expertise, he has carried out LLM-powered options in domains starting from logistics to client apps.
At Kuehne+Nagel, a world logistics chief, Alessandro applies generative AI to optimize operations – for instance, constructing dynamic pricing fashions and clever provide chain brokers. He’s equally recognized for his ardour past the workplace: an completed public speaker and group mentor, Alessandro demystifies AI via talks and workshops.
Catch him dwell at DataHack Summit 2025- he’s operating an action-packed, hands-on workshop on ‘Unleashing Multi-Agent Functions with CrewAI’.
He {couples} robust theoretical foundations with a knack for sensible problem-solving. Lately, he’s been sharing his experience in Agentic AI, educating builders how autonomous brokers can collaborate utilizing frameworks like CrewAI. Alessandro’s area of interest is bridging the hole between cutting-edge AI analysis and real-world functions.
Discover their full profile right here.
Miguel Otero Pedrido
Miguel Otero Pedrido believes that one of the simplest ways to be taught AI is by constructing it. As founding father of The Neural Maze, he has created a vibrant hub for hands-on machine studying initiatives, the place complicated ideas are damaged down step-by-step with code, articles, and movies.
His technical background spans pure language processing, pc imaginative and prescient, and multimodal AI, with a particular concentrate on bringing AI assistants to life. For example, Miguel leads workshops on constructing full-fledged multimodal brokers – like a voice-and-vision powered Telegram assistant that may discuss, hear, and see. With experience in instruments like LangChain/LangGraph, vector databases, and diffusion fashions, he guides builders to assemble all of the items of an AI system.
However Miguel just isn’t solely an engineer; he’s a mentor at coronary heart. He has mentored numerous aspiring engineers, emphasizing “going past tutorials” to create real-world affect. Beneath The Neural Maze banner, he shares free content material that helps others construct production-grade AI (together with addressing challenges like scaling and MLOps).
Head to DataHack Summit 2025 and discover ‘Constructing Clever Multimodal Brokers: Integrating Imaginative and prescient, Speech & Language’ with him in a fascinating, hands-on format.
Discover their full profile right here.
Luis Serrano
Luis Serrano is on a mission to democratize AI training, one partaking lesson at a time. A former Google YouTube workforce engineer and Apple’s Lead AI Educator, Luis has a uncommon expertise for breaking down machine studying into pleasant, intuitive explanations. He based Serrano Academy as a web-based platform to carry machine studying data to everybody, typically via playful analogies, minimal math, and loads of real-world examples. His e book Grokking Machine Studying exemplifies this approachable fashion – guiding readers to change into ML specialists utilizing solely high-school math and fundamental Python.
Luis additionally ventured into the quantum realm as a analysis scientist at Zapata Computing, exploring algorithms that bridge AI and quantum computing. Now acknowledged as a Google Developer Knowledgeable in ML, Luis additionally reaches a world viewers through his widespread YouTube channel (SerranoAcademy) the place he teaches matters like calculus, linear algebra, and LLMs with readability and enthusiasm.
He maintains an inspiring message: anybody can be taught and leverage AI with the correct steerage, and you’ve got the possibility developing actual quickly.
Swing by DataHack Summit 2025 to dive into his sensible workshop, ‘From Newbie to Knowledgeable: Studying LLMs, Reinforcement Studying & AI Brokers’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Kartik Nighania
Kartik Nighania is a driving pressure behind the scenes of GenAI – making certain that highly effective fashions don’t simply exist, however run effectively and reliably in manufacturing. As an MLOps Engineer at Typewise (a startup recognized for clever typing and textual content prediction), Kartik brings over seven years of AI expertise bridging pc imaginative and prescient, NLP, and DevOps.
His specialty is the “ops” facet of AI: from constructing CI/CD pipelines for mannequin deployment to architecting infrastructure that may deal with real-time inference at scale. Kartik’s profession has spanned each startup and enterprise environments. He was previously Head of Engineering at Pibit.ai, the place he led AI-driven automation and scaled infrastructure for a rising firm. He additionally honed his abilities at HSBC, optimizing steady integration programs for machine studying – a vital experience in industries like finance.
His present focus at Typewise and locally is LLMOps – the rising self-discipline of working LLMs effectively. In actual fact, Kartik typically shares methods on optimizing LLMs for pace, value, and accuracy, drawing from his hands-on work in tuning mannequin efficiency. He has a knack for making complicated deployments easy, and for integrating the newest generative fashions into real-world functions (from good keyboards to multi-lingual chatbots).
Cease in at DataHack Summit 2025 and level-up along with his hands-on workshop, ‘LLMOps – Productionalizing Actual-World Functions with LLMs‘.
Discover their full profile right here.
Raghav Bali
Raghav Bali is a prolific AI engineer and educator whose profession embodies the synergy of cutting-edge growth and data sharing. As a Principal Information Scientist at Supply Hero (the worldwide meals supply large), Raghav designs and deploys machine studying options that function at international scale. From enhancing advice engines to optimizing logistics with AI, his work straight shapes how hundreds of thousands of consumers get their meals. However Raghav’s affect extends far past his firm.
With a decade in information science below his belt, he has authored seven+ books on AI/ML, protecting matters like generative modeling, NLP, and deep studying. These books (together with Generative AI with Python and PyTorch) are celebrated for translating complicated ideas into sensible initiatives – empowering practitioners worldwide. Raghav’s area of interest is enterprise AI innovation fused with a ardour for educating. He has a wealthy portfolio of R&D work: from creating pc imaginative and prescient and NLP programs to submitting patents on novel AI functions. Acknowledged amongst India’s prime information scientists, he additionally contributes peer-reviewed analysis papers and speaks at worldwide AI boards.
At Supply Hero, colleagues know him for implementing AI that tangibly improves person expertise and operational effectivity – all whereas making certain these improvements are well-communicated and understood by stakeholders. Famend as a humble chief and a mentor, he typically guides aspiring information scientists like he will likely be doing on the DataHack Summit 2025.
Seize your seat- he’s guiding a sensible workshop titled ‘Mastering LLMs: Coaching, High quality-Tuning, and Greatest Practices’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Manoranjan Rajguru
Manoranjan Rajguru is the type of AI skilled who not solely builds superior options but additionally shapes the dialog round them. As an AI Architect at Microsoft, he focuses on Generative AI and LLMs, serving to enterprises design and deploy AI programs responsibly. With over a decade of expertise in AI/ML, he has the uncommon distinction of getting excelled in each tech giants and the broader group. Previous to Microsoft, he served as a Information Scientist at Amazon, tackling issues on the intersection of retail and AI.
His writing demystifies complicated matters (from the newest in GPT fashions to greatest practices in mannequin deployment) and has considerably influenced aspiring AI engineers. In his present function, Manoranjan typically operates as a “World Black Belt” (a time period Microsoft makes use of for top-tier specialists) in AI, addressing powerful challenges in implementing GenAI options for purchasers.
He’s deeply concerned in architecting AI programs which can be scalable, safe, and aligned with enterprise targets. For instance, he would possibly information a shopper in constructing a voice-based clever agent or a customized GPT-powered data base – at all times with an eye fixed on efficiency and ethics.
Be at DataHack Summit 2025 to expertise his high-octane hack session, ‘AI Voice Agent: The Way forward for Human-Laptop Interplay’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Dipanjan Sarkar
Dipanjan Sarkar is a stellar instance of a multi-faceted GenAI skilled – he’s an business chief, a prolific writer, and a acknowledged skilled who actively uplifts the group. At present working because the Head of Neighborhood and Principal AI Scientist at Analytics Vidhya, Dipanjan works on large-scale clever programs that leverage machine studying and deep studying to resolve real-world issues. Over his profession, he has spearheaded superior analytics initiatives at Fortune 500 firms like Utilized Supplies and Intel, and contributed to open-source initiatives at Purple Hat.
However what really units him aside is his dedication to sharing data. DJ has authored a number of acclaimed books (over 7 titles) on machine studying, NLP, and deep studying – from Textual content Analytics with Python to Generative AI with Python and PyTorch. These works have change into go-to sources for practitioners, recognized for his or her hands-on method.
Recognizing his contributions, Google honored him as a Developer Knowledgeable in Machine Studying in 2019. He was additionally named among the many High 10 Information Scientists in India in 2020, underscoring each his technical excellence and affect. Dipanjan’s area of interest lies in utilized machine studying and training: he excels in constructing options (spanning NLP, pc imaginative and prescient, and recommender programs) after which articulating the how’s and why’s via tutorials, programs, and talks.
In each function, Dipanjan balances hands-on growth with mentorship – for example, advising startups, instructing at information science academies, and beta-testing MOOCs for Coursera. Famend for his approachable educating fashion and deep experience, he conjures up GenAI fanatics to constantly be taught by doing.
Meet him at DataHack Summit 2025 and roll up your sleeves in his immersive session on ‘Mastering Clever Brokers: A Deep Dive into Agentic AI’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Hitesh Nayak
Hitesh Nayak has constructed a fame as a flexible information science chief who can inject Generative AI innovation into any area. At present the Director of Information Science at Brainlabs, he brings 12 years of hands-on expertise to the desk. Hitesh has actually carried out all of it: he’s constructed high-performing AI groups, developed impactful fashions, designed coaching applications, and crafted AI-driven enterprise methods – and, as he humorously admits, handled the occasional manufacturing catastrophe alongside the way in which.
His profession spans a wealthy array of industries: retail and e-commerce, banking/finance, client packaged items (CPG), and even manufacturing. In every sector, Hitesh has utilized GenAI in context-specific methods – from personalization programs in retail to predictive analytics in finance and provide chain optimizations in CPG.
What really drives Hitesh is seeing AI create real-world worth. He typically says that the joys comes from one good algorithm making a tangible distinction – whether or not it’s boosting a metric or enhancing a buyer’s expertise.
Seize your seat at DataHack Summit 2025- he’s guiding a deep-dive hack session titled ‘Mannequin Context Protocol in Media: Selecting the Proper Metrics & Technique’.
Discover their full profile right here.
Need to Catch all of them in One Place?
There’s no higher time to observe these prime GenAI leaders, agentic AI specialists, and generative AI innovators. Whether or not you’re a researcher, a product builder, or simply GenAI-curious- these leaders are those pushing boundaries.
However right here’s the kicker: What should you may meet them multi function place?
Be a part of us on the DataHack Summit 2025, taking place August 20-23 in Bengaluru, India– the place these sensible minds will collect to speak, train, and remodel the way forward for AI.
This isn’t simply an event- it’s the vacation spot for anybody attending to be taught and develop in Generative AI and Agentic AI.
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