Who is Sriram Krishnan, Trump's new AI policy advisor
23 Dec 2024

Indian-American tech veteran, Sriram Krishnan, has been appointed as the White House's senior policy advisor on artificial intelligence (AI).

US President-elect Donald Trump made the announcement on Sunday.

"Sriram Krishnan will serve as the Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy," Trump said during a series of key appointments related to AI.

Krishnan's role and responsibilities in AI leadership
Duties outlined

In his new role, Krishnan will work closely with David Sacks to ensure that the US continues to lead in AI and help shape national AI policy.

Sacks, a former PayPal Chief Operating Officer, was appointed as "White House AI & Crypto Czar" earlier this month.

"Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in AI and help shape and coordinate AI policy across government," Trump said.

Krishnan's tech industry experience and collaborations
Career path

Krishnan has had an illustrious career in the tech industry, having worked with top companies like Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap.

Krishnan also has a close relationship with billionaire Elon Musk and has worked with him on projects like social media platform X after the latter acquired Twitter in 2022.

Krishnan's venture capital journey and innovative approach
Venture capital

Krishnan joined Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) as a general partner in February 2021. In 2023, he was selected to lead the firm's London office, its first outside the United States. He departed the firm in late November.

Over the course of his career, Krishnan has pushed for an innovative, technology-focused approach to resolving conflicts between major internet platforms and AI-driven models like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Indian American community welcomes Krishnan's appointment
Community response

The Indian American community has also welcomed Krishnan's appointment.

Sanjeev Joshipura, executive director of Indiaspora, congratulated Krishnan and praised his contributions to AI.

"For several years, Sriram has been an insightful thinker and influential commentator in the artificial intelligence realm," Joshipura said.

He added that Indiaspora looks forward to working with Krishnan on advancing AI thought leadership in the United States and abroad.