Supreet Kaur’s career has been dedicated to creating impactful data and AI solutions for regulated industries to solve their most pressing problems and eliminate operational inefficiencies. She holds a patent for developing cutting-edge strategies to measure the efficacy of AI engines. She is an ardent writer and international speaker on data and AI. She is a Google WomenTech Makers ambassador and LinkedIn Top Voice 2024 for data and AI.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with Digital First Magazine, Supreet shared her professional trajectory, insights on the latest trends in the AI industry, personal role models, the secret mantra behind her success, future plans, words of wisdom, and much more. The following excerpts are taken from the interview.
Hi Supreet. Tell us about your career path. What experiences have brought you here?
My career has been dedicated to developing data and AI solutions that solve the most pressing problems and reduce operational inefficiencies. I am a builder and innovator at heart, so I also spend some time building POCs using machine learning. I have been involved with increasing data literacy within organizations, improving data democratization, and evangelizing AI technologies. Some of the notable use cases I have worked on are building an AI-driven demand forecasting tool, an omnichannel content personalization engine, and a data product to determine the optimal launch time of a drug.
What do you love the most about being in a data-driven role?
Being in a data-driven role means answering burning business questions using data and intuition. I love it when I can point people toward facts and then formalize it to a use case. Data is the heart and soul of any AI solution, so spending time understanding data is the key to a successful AI practitioner.
You are a Google Women Techmakers Ambassador. Can you please tell us about this prestigious community and your role in it?
Google Women Techmakers Ambassador is a highly coveted program where only a few women are selected each year to be the evangelists of the technology of their choice so that they can inspire others to be in a similar role and improve diversity and inclusion within this industry.
What are the latest trends to watch in the AI industry in 2024?
AI is making strides in 2024 with the advancement of LLMs and their applications across the industry. Since I have spent all my career in regulated industries, I am excited to see how regulated organizations will adapt AI, given the sensitivity to the data and black box nature of some of these algorithms. I also think that the advent of AI will change the way analytics professionals operate in the future. It will help them with mundane tasks so that they can focus on innovation.
As a visionary leader, what approaches do you use to create a culture of experimentation and innovation within your team?
In the past five years of my career, I have worked with some amazing leaders. One thing all of them had in common was providing a safe space to ‘FAIL.’ They redefined failure as redirection. I want to cultivate the same in my team.
Why do you think more women should work in tech and data science? How can we inspire more women to pursue careers in Data Science?
AI models are as diverse as the people building them. So, the team must have an equitable culture for the models to diversify and capture users’ preferences from all races and genders. Every woman needs to act as a role model for at least one other woman to improve team diversity. I try to do my part by actively sharing on LinkedIn and speaking at national and international forums.
Who has influenced you the most in life and why?
My family has influenced me the most in my life. My mother is a professional, so I have seen her working and juggling the household chores. I learned the art of balancing and excelling in my career from her. My father is extremely ambitious to date, so I learned that drive from him. They have taught me to be unstoppable.
You have received several prestigious awards and recognitions throughout your career, including being named LinkedIn Top Voice 2024. Our readers would love to know the secret mantra behind your success.
The secret mantra is to show up every day for whatever you want to achieve. Discipline, determination, and dedication are my mantras for achieving anything in life.
Where would you like to be in the next five years?
I would love to continue working in data and AI and build more patent-worthy solutions for organizations. I would also like to grow as a leader and influence others to make them AI-ready.
One piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring women tech professionals.
Seek mentorship, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and remember that it’s normal to feel like an imposter when you start a new endeavor.
Disclaimer: The author shares her insights in this interview in a personal capacity, and does not represent her past, present or current employers.