Naushath Mohammed

10 Best Leaders from AI in India 2023 logo

An AI Visionary Pioneering Innovation & Redefining Possibilities

Naushath Mohammed

Senior Director,

Sutherland

The AI revolution is underway. While previous industrial revolutions focused on physical advancements like the steam engine, combustion engine, and computer revolution, the fourth Industrial Revolution is centred around AI. It is driving innovation and smart solutions across different industries.
At the forefront of this seismic shift stands a visionary, Naushath Mohammed, who was among the first to recognise and harness the boundless potential of AI. Naushath is the Senior Director at Sutherland, and with an impressive tenure of 17 years under his belt, he has meticulously guided complex software development and automation projects to completion. His contributions have significantly shaped the landscape of AI through his revolutionary innovations, meticulous analytical prowess, and extraordinary leadership acumen. Our team at TradeFlock had the privilege of sitting down with Naushath, diving deep into his experiences, the successful strategies he implemented to tackle the ethical and societal challenges of technology, his noteworthy accomplishments, and his plans to explore opportunities and motivate the next generation of AI leaders. 

Throughout your career, what do you consider your most significant achievement?

My success is rooted in adhering to the STARS principles of strategic management: Startup, Transformation, Accelerated Growth, Realignment, and Sustainable Success. In startups, I formed teams from scratch, uniting industry experts and creative minds from educational institutions. I also transformed existing teams, optimising their position in the market for scalability and growth. This led to remarkable achievements, surpassing expectations. Additionally, I realigned teams’ objectives and strategies to match market dynamics, ensuring sustained growth and competitiveness. By combining years of practical experience with cutting-edge insights from continuous upskilling, I developed A-class products that leverage AI, ML, and Large Language Models. This remains my most significant accomplishment to date.

Your vision for AI-driven technologies and their impact on business processes and customer-facing products? How are you implementing this in your career?

AI’s future is bright, set to revolutionise various sectors. Research papers like “Attention is all you need” have already improved language processing, simplifying and enhancing its efficiency. I believe that AI-powered automation will efficiently streamline processes and boost productivity, allowing companies to scale innovation and profitability. AI is likely to advance business automation, personalisation, and customer experience, particularly revolutionising healthcare and biotechnology. However, as AI’s prevalence grows, ethical and regulatory considerations are crucial for transparency and fairness. Businesses must continually learn about AI, ML, and IoT to leverage their potential, focusing on efficiency and customer experience. Implementing responsible AI practises, with an emphasis on data privacy and fairness, is essential.

If you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice before embarking on your professional journey, what would it be?

Looking back at my journey, I can’t help but acknowledge that one passion that ignited the fire within me was professional cricket. If I could turn back time, I would undoubtedly whisper to my younger self to embrace both dreams wholeheartedly. With the spirit of “Onward Ever, Backward Never” etched in my heart, I would charge forward, knowing that each step, whether on the cricket pitch or in the world of computer science, contributes to the symphony of my aspirations. Embracing both passions harmoniously, I would let the fire of determination guide my path.

What is your strength as an AI professional? How does it help you drive innovation?

I possess a deep understanding of AI structures and exceptional problem-solving abilities fueled by creative thinking. This empowers me to tackle challenges with ingenuity, resulting in unique AI applications that drive innovation. I prioritise fostering innovation by exploring unconventional ideas and thinking outside the box, leading to groundbreaking AI applications that push the boundaries of the field. With AI continually evolving, I embrace new technologies and methods, maintaining adaptability to pivot and drive innovation in the dynamic industry swiftly. My strengths have translated into successful AI solutions addressing real-world problems, elevating user experiences, streamlining business processes, and making positive contributions across various industries.

Share an innovative concept or product from your career that you believe has the potential to change the world.

As technological advancements continuously evolve and can be influenced by various factors, it is tough to predict specific groundbreaking technologies. However, based on current trends and ongoing research, I can see that Quantum Computing, Biotechnology and Genetic Editing, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Space exploration and commercial spaceflight, and brain-Computer Interfaces have significant potential. I also see that Explainable AI (XAI) has the potential to revolutionise the AI landscape and transform the world.

How do you leverage your 17 years of technology industry experience to drive innovation and automation projects in your current role?

During my journey, I’ve worked on various projects, each presenting its own challenges and interesting aspects. Overall, it has been a great learning experience, and I’ve always focused on turning opportunities into tangible results. In my current role, I approach tasks with a combination of technical expertise, strategic vision, and leadership skills, applying the knowledge gained from past experiences. In my approach, I emphasise several key aspects. Firstly, my extensive experience enables me to identify new opportunities by understanding various industries and emerging technology trends. Secondly, I build collaborative teams with diverse skill sets to work together efficiently. Additionally, I prioritise a user-centric approach, seeking to understand end-user challenges and requirements, to ensure impactful solutions. Moreover, I foster a culture of innovation, encouraging experimentation and learning among team members. Lastly, I invest in continuous learning and development, actively participating in conferences, workshops, and online courses to stay abreast of AI and technological advancements.