The moment your data enters an AI workflow, your existing security controls don’t get bypassed - they evaporate. Amar Kanagaraj, founder of Protecto, makes the case for an independent trust layer built for the AI era covering a Middle Eastern bank that can’t let data leave the country, a healthcare company whose real risk was never the model, and an AI built to understand “salary information” as a concept, not just a pattern. His core analogy: brakes don’t slow a Ferrari down. They’re what let it go fast.

The moment your data enters an AI workflow, your existing security controls don’t get bypassed - they evaporate.Amar Kanagaraj, founder of Protecto, makes the case for an independent trust layer built for the AI era covering a Middle Eastern bank that can’t let data leave the country, a healthcare company whose real risk was never the model, and an AI built to understand “salary information” as a concept, not just a pattern.His core analogy: brakes don’t slow a Ferrari down. They’re what let it go fast.

AI's Happy Hour

S02 EP06 | The Brakes for AI Ferrari ft. Amar Kanagaraj of Protecto AI

“This is scary good." - That's what a healthcare client's own security team said on a call, watching an AI agent book appointments and resolve scheduling conflicts inside their regulated clinical software. Rakesh Vaddadi, CEO of Beacon.li, tells host Sujit Janardanan how his team builds AI agents that don't just answer questions about enterprise software - they operate it, with zero backend integration and a knowledge graph learned straight from the UI.Also: the claim that Beacon beat OpenAI to a multi-agent orchestrator by six months, and a rapid-fire round on exactly which tasks Rakesh does (and doesn't) trust an AI agent to handle alone.

“This is scary good." - That's what a healthcare client's own security team said on a call, watching an AI agent book appointments and resolve scheduling conflicts inside their regulated clinical software.Rakesh Vaddadi, CEO of Beacon.li, tells host Sujit Janardanan how his team builds AI agents that don't just answer questions about enterprise software - they operate it, with zero backend integration and a knowledge graph learned straight from the UI.Also: the claim that Beacon beat OpenAI to a multi-agent orchestrator by six months, and a rapid-fire round on exactly which tasks Rakesh does (and doesn't) trust an AI agent to handle alone.

S02 EP05 | The Do Engine ft. Rakesh Vaddadi of Beacon.li

Six thousand images a day with zero room for error! Girish Vadharajan, Chief Data and AI Officer at Innoviti, built the AI system verifying field agents' proof of work across thousands of payment terminals nationwide - and it broke every assumption a standard LLM API prototype makes.Karan Kirpalani gets into the black-on-black detection problem, the checkbox that made a top-tier model hallucinate, and a case study of a client cutting their monthly AI bill from roughly 80,000 dollars to a flat 9,000. A real production build story, you cannot afford to miss as a builder.

Six thousand images a day with zero room for error! Girish Vadharajan, Chief Data and AI Officer at Innoviti, built the AI system verifying field agents' proof of work across thousands of payment terminals nationwide - and it broke every assumption a standard LLM API prototype makes.Karan Kirpalani gets into the black-on-black detection problem, the checkbox that made a top-tier model hallucinate, and a case study of a client cutting their monthly AI bill from roughly 80,000 dollars to a flat 9,000.A real production build story, you cannot afford to miss as a builder.

S02 EP04 | The Audit Brain Behind 50,000 Stores ft. Girish Varadarajan of Innoviti

A bank spent $60 million on a core system migration. It failed and shipped nothing. Aravind Jayendran, Co-founder of Latentforce, is betting the opposite way - an AI built to do one thing, code migration, with enough precision to touch a 20-year-old ERP system that nobody at the company fully understands anymore. Plus: why your code is your IP, and why that changes everything about which AI you trust with it. Tune in to the complete episode to dive into his approach.

A bank spent $60 million on a core system migration. It failed and shipped nothing.Aravind Jayendran, Co-founder of Latentforce, is betting the opposite way - an AI built to do one thing, code migration, with enough precision to touch a 20-year-old ERP system that nobody at the company fully understands anymore.Plus: why your code is your IP, and why that changes everything about which AI you trust with it.Tune in to the complete episode to dive into his approach.

S02 EP03 | Power of Focus in the Age of AI ft. Aravind Jayendran of LatentForce

You're worried about latency, model quality, and fundraising. You should also be worried about export controls, GPU choke points, and the single executive order that could rewrite your entire roadmap. Pranay Kotasthane (Chairperson Takshashila Institution, co-author of When the Chips Are Down) breaks the AI race into four competing narratives - nuclear standoff, arms race, innovation race, or diffusion game - and maps the five-layer supply chain that decides who actually gets to build. Plus: why "self-reliance" is the wrong ambition, and what "self-strength" looks like instead. A geopolitics playbook for builders, not diplomats. Tune in and share with the builders, policy makers and AI adopters you know would benefit from the insights.

You're worried about latency, model quality, and fundraising.You should also be worried about export controls, GPU choke points, and the single executive order that could rewrite your entire roadmap.Pranay Kotasthane (Chairperson Takshashila Institution, co-author of When the Chips Are Down) breaks the AI race into four competing narratives - nuclear standoff, arms race, innovation race, or diffusion game - and maps the five-layer supply chain that decides who actually gets to build.Plus: why "self-reliance" is the wrong ambition, and what "self-strength" looks like instead.A geopolitics playbook for builders, not diplomats.Tune in and share with the builders, policy makers and AI adopters you know would benefit from the insights. 

S02 EP02 | When The Chips Are Down ft. Pranay Kotasthane of Takshashila Institution

Your AI just denied someone's loan. Who's responsible? Not in your policy doc - actually, functionally responsible.Beni Chugh (Dvara Research Foundation) opens Season 2 with a conversation about AI accountability that most boardrooms haven't had yet: the Air Canada chatbot that promised something the company wouldn't honor, the aviation-safety analogy for AI (and where it collapses), and why "human in the loop" is starting to mean rubber-stamping thousands of decisions an hour. Grab a seat at the table nobody's saving for the customer.

Your AI just denied someone's loan. Who's responsible?Not in your policy doc - actually, functionally responsible.Beni Chugh (Dvara Research Foundation) opens Season 2 with a conversation about AI accountability that most boardrooms haven't had yet: the Air Canada chatbot that promised something the company wouldn't honor, the aviation-safety analogy for AI (and where it collapses), and why "human in the loop" is starting to mean rubber-stamping thousands of decisions an hour.Grab a seat at the table nobody's saving for the customer.

S02 EP01 | The Empty Chair ft. Beni Chugh of Dvara Research

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our host & CMO, Sujit Janardanan, sits down with the winners of the AIBoomi Startup Weekend, Bengaluru—a 24-hour idea-to-MVP buildathon that brought together a new generation of AI builders turning curiosity, local insights, and ambitious ideas into real-world applications. From investment banking professionals and startup founders to postgraduate students, these innovators share what it takes to build under pressure, validate ideas quickly, and create solutions that address real-world challenges rooted in cultural and local contexts. We explore:<ul><li>The shift from AI hype to meaningful, outcome-driven use cases</li><li>Building impactful AI solutions with limited resources</li><li>What it takes to go from idea to MVP in just 24 hours</li><li>Balancing rapid experimentation with long-term scalability</li><li>The difference between an everyday builder mindset and a hackathon builder mindset</li><li>How collaboration, curiosity, and execution come together to drive innovation</li></ul> This episode is a must-listen for emerging founders, aspiring builders, and AI enthusiasts who want a firsthand look at how the next wave of AI innovation is being created. Tune in now and follow AI’s Happy Hour for more real conversations shaping the AI future.

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our host & CMO, Sujit Janardanan, sits down with the winners of the AIBoomi Startup Weekend, Bengaluru—a 24-hour idea-to-MVP buildathon that brought together a new generation of AI builders turning curiosity, local insights, and ambitious ideas into real-world applications.From investment banking professionals and startup founders to postgraduate students, these innovators share what it takes to build under pressure, validate ideas quickly, and create solutions that address real-world challenges rooted in cultural and local contexts.We explore:The shift from AI hype to meaningful, outcome-driven use casesBuilding impactful AI solutions with limited resourcesWhat it takes to go from idea to MVP in just 24 hoursBalancing rapid experimentation with long-term scalabilityThe difference between an everyday builder mindset and a hackathon builder mindsetHow collaboration, curiosity, and execution come together to drive innovationThis episode is a must-listen for emerging founders, aspiring builders, and AI enthusiasts who want a firsthand look at how the next wave of AI innovation is being created.Tune in now and follow AI’s Happy Hour for more real conversations shaping the AI future.

S01 EP09 | Hackers. Builders. Dreamers ft. Winners of the First-ever AIBoomi Startup Weekend, Bengaluru

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our host & CMO, Sujit Janardanan, sits down with Varun Malhotra, CTO of Capri Global Capital Ltd., to explore what it really takes to embed AI into the fabric of a financial institution as a core operating infrastructure.We explore: <ul><li>Why data readiness is the foundation of every successful AI initiative</li><li>The hidden challenges that cause AI projects to fail during integration</li><li>Building trust in AI within compliance-driven environments</li><li>Aligning technology, governance, and business objectives</li><li>What it means to create an AI-ready culture across diverse teams and geographies</li><li>The realities of deploying AI in regulated industries where reliability and accountability matter</li></ul> This episode is a must-listen for technology leaders, financial services professionals, and AI practitioners looking to understand how AI can be successfully implemented in complex, highly regulated environments. Tune in now and follow AI’s Happy Hour for more real conversations shaping the AI future.

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our host & CMO, Sujit Janardanan, sits down with Varun Malhotra, CTO of Capri Global Capital Ltd., to explore what it really takes to embed AI into the fabric of a financial institution as a core operating infrastructure.We explore:Why data readiness is the foundation of every successful AI initiativeThe hidden challenges that cause AI projects to fail during integrationBuilding trust in AI within compliance-driven environmentsAligning technology, governance, and business objectivesWhat it means to create an AI-ready culture across diverse teams and geographiesThe realities of deploying AI in regulated industries where reliability and accountability matterThis episode is a must-listen for technology leaders, financial services professionals, and AI practitioners looking to understand how AI can be successfully implemented in complex, highly regulated environments.Tune in now and follow AI’s Happy Hour for more real conversations shaping the AI future.

S01 EP08 | From Big Tech to Big Finance ft. Varun Malhotra of Capri Global

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our host & CMO Sujit Janardanan sits down with Praveen Pankajakshan, Chief AI Scientist at UrbanKisan, for a deep, thoughtful conversation on the foundations and future of AI. From medical research and energy systems to agriculture and physical AI, Praveen shares how first principles, reproducibility, and grounded engineering shape real-world AI systems. We explore: <ul><li>Why reproducibility is non-negotiable in science and AI</li><li>The limitations of today’s generative models</li><li>What it takes to build sovereign AI systems</li><li>Moving AI from the cloud into farms and physical environments</li><li>Using Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to build better teams</li><li>A powerful surfing analogy for deploying AI responsibly</li></ul> This episode is a must-listen for AI practitioners who believe the future isn’t just smarter models, but wiser systems. Tune in now and follow AI’s Happy Hour for more real conversations shaping the AI future.

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our host & CMO Sujit Janardanan sits down with Praveen Pankajakshan, Chief AI Scientist at UrbanKisan, for a deep, thoughtful conversation on the foundations and future of AI.From medical research and energy systems to agriculture and physical AI, Praveen shares how first principles, reproducibility, and grounded engineering shape real-world AI systems.We explore:Why reproducibility is non-negotiable in science and AIThe limitations of today’s generative modelsWhat it takes to build sovereign AI systemsMoving AI from the cloud into farms and physical environmentsUsing Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to build better teamsA powerful surfing analogy for deploying AI responsiblyThis episode is a must-listen for AI practitioners who believe the future isn’t just smarter models, but wiser systems.Tune in now and follow AI’s Happy Hour for more real conversations shaping the AI future.

S01 EP07 | The AI Polymath ft. Praveen Pankajakshan of Urban Kisaan

What happens when a world-class product leader who has built billion-dollar commercial products decides to architect a national AI platform?In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, Rishi Bal takes us inside BharatGen, India’s foundational AI mission that aims to redefine how a nation of 1.4 billion accesses information, services, and opportunity. A masterclass in product thinking, national vision, and inclusive technology.Tune in to understand the future India is building; and the leaders building it.

What happens when a world-class product leader who has built billion-dollar commercial products decides to architect a national AI platform?In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, Rishi Bal takes us inside BharatGen, India’s foundational AI mission that aims to redefine how a nation of 1.4 billion accesses information, services, and opportunity.A masterclass in product thinking, national vision, and inclusive technology.Tune in to understand the future India is building; and the leaders building it.

S01 EP06 | Building Sovereign AI for a Billion People Ft. Rishi Bal of BharatGen

From tackling India’s mental health crisis to powering open-source AI at scale - Arko C.’s journey is a blueprint for every founder’s second act. In this episode, he shares how lessons from Amigo shaped PipeShift, a YC-backed platform making open-source models production-ready - with insights on modular architecture, global building, and partnering with Neysa to scale AI for the enterprise.

From tackling India’s mental health crisis to powering open-source AI at scale - Arko C.’s journey is a blueprint for every founder’s second act. In this episode, he shares how lessons from Amigo shaped PipeShift, a YC-backed platform making open-source models production-ready - with insights on modular architecture, global building, and partnering with Neysa to scale AI for the enterprise.

S01 EP05 | The Builder's Pivot ft. Arko C. of Pipeshift

Description: What if AI could truly listen? Aman Goel, founder of GreyLabs.AI, reveals how he’s helping enterprises unlock the $100B opportunity hidden in their customer conversations, powered by cutting-edge AI and Neysa’s cloud infrastructure.

Description: What if AI could truly listen? Aman Goel, founder of GreyLabs.AI, reveals how he’s helping enterprises unlock the $100B opportunity hidden in their customer conversations, powered by cutting-edge AI and Neysa’s cloud infrastructure.

S01 EP04 | The $100Bn Conversation Ft. Aman Goel of GreyLabs AI

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our Host and CMO Sujit sits down with Prof. Nisheeth Srivastava, IIT Kanpur, to ask a bold question: What is intelligence, really and why prof. thinks its overrated? They unpack: - Why intelligence is deeply tied to cultural conditioning - How unexpected factors like weather can influence research - The academic perspective on understanding and “deconstructing” intelligence - A thought-provoking departure from enterprise AI this one’s about going back to the fundamentals. No hangovers, just insights.

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our Host and CMO Sujit sits down with Prof. Nisheeth Srivastava, IIT Kanpur, to ask a bold question: What is intelligence, really and why prof. thinks its overrated? They unpack: - Why intelligence is deeply tied to cultural conditioning - How unexpected factors like weather can influence research - The academic perspective on understanding and “deconstructing” intelligence - A thought-provoking departure from enterprise AI this one’s about going back to the fundamentals. No hangovers, just insights.

S01 EP03 | Deconstructing Intelligence ft. Prof. Nisheeth Srivastava

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our CMO and host Sujit Janardanan sits down with Raoul Nanavati, Co-Founder & CEO of navana.ai, to explore the journey of building Voice AI in India from scratch. They unpack: - Where Voice AI is headed next - The challenges and breakthroughs of building in this space - How India’s talent and mindset give navan.ai a unique edge Sit back and tune in, No hangovers, just insights!

In this episode of AI’s Happy Hour, our CMO and host Sujit Janardanan sits down with Raoul Nanavati, Co-Founder & CEO of navana.ai, to explore the journey of building Voice AI in India from scratch. They unpack: - Where Voice AI is headed next - The challenges and breakthroughs of building in this space - How India’s talent and mindset give navan.ai a unique edge Sit back and tune in, No hangovers, just insights!

S01 EP02 | Unmuting AI ft Raoul Nanavati, Co-founder & CEO, Navana.ai

Ready for a deep dive into the future of voice AI? Tune in to the very first episode of AI’s Happy Hour with Akshat Mandloi, CTO and Co-founder of Smallest.ai, as he unpacks how their innovative approach to foundational models is transforming industries like banking, healthcare, and more. Don’t miss Akshat’s insights on building secure, high-quality voice AI systems that are changing the game. No hangovers, just insights, listen now!

Ready for a deep dive into the future of voice AI? Tune in to the very first episode of AI’s Happy Hour with Akshat Mandloi, CTO and Co-founder of Smallest.ai, as he unpacks how their innovative approach to foundational models is transforming industries like banking, healthcare, and more. Don’t miss Akshat’s insights on building secure, high-quality voice AI systems that are changing the game. No hangovers, just insights, listen now!

S01 EP01 | Smallest.ai Loudest Impact ft Akshat Mandloi

This podcast is a go-to unwind for AI builders, execs, and ecosystem shapers who are looking to decode how AI is really accelerating sans the jargon or the snooze. From our customers spilling their secret sauce to technologists, policymakers, and innovators shaking things up. Get ready, as we pour some bold, thought-provoking conversations. Think AI infra, vibrant communities, and a splash of emerging market magic. No hangovers, just insights!

This podcast is a go-to unwind for AI builders, execs, and ecosystem shapers who are looking to decode how AI is really accelerating sans the jargon or the snooze. From our customers spilling their secret sauce to technologists, policymakers, and innovators shaking things up. Get ready, as we pour some bold, thought-provoking conversations. Think AI infra, vibrant communities, and a splash of emerging market magic. No hangovers, just insights!

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AI's Happy Hour

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