Rohit Prasad is one of the most influential figures shaping Amazon's artificial intelligence strategy. As the chief architect behind Alexa, Prasad transformed how millions of users interact with voice technology. Today, he leads Amazon's efforts to lead in the AI landscape, where rivals such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google are setting the pace.
Born and raised in India, Prasad's fascination with AI began in childhood, inspired by "Star Trek" and its talking computers. He earned his undergraduate degree from BIT Mesra, Ranchi, before pursuing advanced electrical engineering and computer science studies.
At Amazon, Prasad was instrumental in developing Alexa's speech recognition technology. However, the rapid rise of generative AI, particularly OpenAI's ChatGPT, reshaped the landscape. Prasad was tasked with revamping Amazon's AI approach, leading a team to develop Amazon's new AI models, including Titan and Olympus. These models aim to make Alexa smarter and integrate AI across Amazon's vast ecosystem, from smart-home devices to cloud computing.
Despite Amazon's historic strength in AI, the company has struggled to keep pace with rivals in the generative AI space. Insiders acknowledge that Amazon's promising models have lagged behind competitors like ChatGPT. According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon "has been building its own large language models...the software behind generative AI," but its AI models "are still behind those of its biggest competitors."
Prasad's leadership has become even more critical as Amazon ramps up its AI investments, with CEO Andy Jassy placing immense pressure on the division to deliver results. He aims to ensure that Amazon's AI is deeply integrated into its core businesses, from Alexa to AWS. The company's long game involves building AI that understands and interacts intelligently with users.
For Prasad, this journey is personal. His rise from a curious child in India to a global leader in AI underscores the growing influence of Indians in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.