White House AI Policy Advisor Sriram Krishnan Leaving the Post

Sriram Krishnan, Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence, has announced he will step down at the end of June 2026 after an 18‑month tenure shaping President Donald Trump’s AI agenda. He plans to take a short break before working on major AI challenges outside government.

Krishnan later confirmed his decision in a post on X. Krishnan is planning to start a policy institute that will support the administration’s AI plans, according to people familiar with the matter.

It was in December 2024 when Krishnan was appointed as Senior Policy Advisor for AI by President-elect Donald Trump.

Krishnan, who is an alumnus of Chennai's Anna University, has had an important role in shaping U.S. AI policy highlight the growing influence of Indian-origin executives in global technology governance. His departure comes as Washington intensifies AI policy efforts, including cybersecurity frameworks and potential public‑private partnerships.

Key Facts About His Departure

• Announcement Date: June 6–7, 2026, via social media posts.
• End of Tenure: Scheduled for end of June 2026.
• Reason Given: No specific reason cited; he emphasized continuing to tackle “large challenges facing America on AI” after a break.
• Role in Policy: Architect of the American AI Action Plan and contributor to the National AI Policy Framework.
• Political Context: His exit comes amid Trump administration discussions about potential government stakes in AI companies.

Contributions During Tenure

• AI Action Plan: Reduced regulatory barriers, accelerated data center expansion, and limited state-level AI regulations.
• National AI Policy Framework: Helped unify federal approaches to AI governance.
• International Engagements: Represented the U.S. at AI summits in Europe, India, and the Middle East.
• Executive Orders: Supported Trump’s orders curbing state AI regulation and promoting voluntary cybersecurity testing of advanced AI models.

Reactions & Next Steps

• Praise from Colleagues: David Sacks lauded Krishnan’s “unique combination of technical fluency and policy instincts.”
• Industry Support: Elon Musk publicly backed Krishnan’s role and thanked him for his service.
• Future Plans: Krishnan intends to build institutions to address AI challenges for the U.S. and its allies.

Apple Fires Several Indian-origin Employees for 'Misusing' Donation Scheme

Apple has terminated several Indian-origin employees in the US for allegedly misusing the company's matching grants scheme. Under this program, Apple matches employees' donations to qualified charities. However, some employees reportedly created false donation records and arranged for the funds to be returned to themselves.

According to Mashable, Apple reportedly terminated 185 employees at its Cupertino headquarters for allegedly misusing the company's matching grants scheme.

The employees allegedly created false donation records and arranged for the funds to be returned to themselves, exploiting Apple's Matching Grants program.

While six individuals have been named by authorities, none of them are Indian. However, other reports indicate that many of the dismissed employees were of Indian origin.

The investigation involves charities connected to the Indian community, including the Telugu Association of North America (TANA).

The fraud scheme allegedly defrauded Apple of approximately $152,000 over three years.

The Santa Clara County district attorney’s office has charged six former employees, and warrants have been issued for their arrest.

Apple has not yet provided an official statement regarding the incident. The FBI, IRS, and DOJ are investigating the potential misuse of matching grants. The Telugu Association of North America (TANA) is among the organizations under scrutiny by the FBI, IRS, and DOJ for potential misappropriation of matching grants.

This situation highlights serious concerns about nonprofit ethics and corporate integrity.

Indian-Origin Entrepreneur Appointed As Trump's Senior AI Policy Advisor

Sriram Krishnan, an alumnus of Chennai's Anna University, has been appointed as the Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence (AI) by President-elect Donald Trump.

Krishnan, an Indian-American entrepreneur and venture capitalist, will play a key role in shaping AI policies across multiple government sectors. He brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles at companies like Microsoft, Twitter, and Facebook. Krishnan expressed his honor at the appointment and his commitment to ensuring continued American leadership in AI.

Currently a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, Krishnan previously led product and engineering efforts at Twitter, Meta and Microsoft. He will work closely with David Sacks, who has been named the White House AI and Crypto Czar.

Krishnan's background is impressive. He has held leadership roles at major tech companies like Microsoft, Twitter, and Facebook. He was a founding member of the Windows Azure team at Microsoft and has been a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz.

Krishnan and his wife, Aarthi Ramamurthy, co-host a podcast called "The Aarthi and Sriram Show," where they explore technology, entrepreneurship, and culture. His appointment has been widely applauded, with many praising his ability to blend public policy, international affairs, and technology.

Sriram Krishnan earned his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Information Technology from SRM Engineering College, which is affiliated with Anna University in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

It's quite an impressive journey from SRM Engineering College to becoming a senior policy advisor on AI!

IBM Acquiring BITS Pilani Alumnus' Founded Oracle Consultancy Accelalpha

IBM has announced its intent to acquire Accelalpha, a leading Oracle Consultancy founded by Nat Ganesh, an alumnus of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani campus.

This acquisition aims to enhance IBM's expertise in Oracle Cloud Applications, particularly in areas like supply chain, logistics, finance, enterprise performance management (EPM), and customer transformation.

Founded by Ganesh in 2009, Accelalpha is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, and is known for its deep expertise in Oracle Cloud solutions and has a significant presence across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

This acquisition will bring a large team of skilled consultants to IBM Consulting, further strengthening IBM's capabilities in deploying and managing Oracle solutions.

Accelalpha is a global provider of Oracle Cloud Applications consulting across advisory, implementation and managed services. Its highly skilled team serves clients across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America, with a focus on distribution, industrial and financial services sectors.

Notably, Accelalpha was the first Oracle partner to implement Oracle Fusion Financials, and also boasts as the largest Oracle logistics practice globally.

"IBM’s client and employee-centric culture and long-established scale and reach in more than 175 countries is a great fit for the next stage of our growth,” said Nat Ganesh, CEO, Accelalpha. “We’re thrilled to bring our expertise in Oracle Cloud solutions and targeted domain and industry knowledge to bear together with IBM’s strength in generative AI and hybrid cloud. With Accelalpha’s history of being a pioneer in Oracle Cloud and IBM’s deep-rooted dedication to innovation that matters, we can further accelerate value creation for our clients.”

IBM and Oracle’s partnership to serve clients spans almost 40 years. IBM was named a Leader in the 2023 IDC MarketScape for Oracle Implementation Services Ecosystem Worldwide.

Post acquisition, Accelalpha will join IBM Consulting, bringing over a large global team of skilled consultants to help clients modernize with Oracle Cloud Applications.

The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Accelalpha has primarily grown through organic means and strategic acquisitions rather than extensive external funding. However, it has received investment from Graycliff Partners, a private equity firm.

Nat Ganesh, the founder and CEO of Accelalpha, has a strong connection to India. He was born and raised in India before moving to the United States to further his education and career.

Nat Ganesh attended the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, where he earned a Master’s degree in Science and Engineering Management. This prestigious institution is known for producing many successful entrepreneurs and leaders in the technology and business sectors.

Accelalpha has a notable presence in India, with operations primarily based in Hyderabad, Telangana. The Indian office plays a crucial role in supporting Accelalpha's global operations, particularly in areas like Oracle Cloud Applications consulting, implementation, and managed services.

The Hyderabad office is involved in various aspects of Accelalpha's business, including supply chain management, logistics, finance, enterprise performance management (EPM), and customer transformation. This presence in India allows Accelalpha to leverage the region's rich talent pool and provide high-quality services to clients worldwide.

India-Born Gopi Thotakura Becomes 1st Indian To Go To Space As A Tourist

In a historic moment, India-born Gopi Thotakura's participation in the Blue Origin's New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first Indian citizen to travel to space as a tourist.

The mission, which included a diverse crew, successfully completed its 25th flight, contributing to the advancement of commercial space travel. It's inspiring to see individuals like Gopi Thotakura and the rest of the crew, including the notable former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, partake in such pioneering journeys. This event not only represents a personal achievement for the crew members but also signifies the growing accessibility of space travel for civilians.

Gopi is a pilot and aviator, and a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He’s co-founder of Preserve Life Corp, a global center for holistic wellness and applied health located near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

 

The NS-25 Crew (from left to right) : Gopi Thotakura, Mason Angel, Carol Schaller, Ed Dwight, Ken Hess, and Sylvain Chiron.

Andhra Pradesh born Gopi knows flying jets commercially and he pilots bush, aerobatic, and seaplanes, as well as gliders and hot air balloons, and has served as an international medical jet pilot. Gopi is from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh who later settled in US. He took pilot training there and piloted many commercial jets, skyplanes and air ambulances.

 

The duration of Gopi Thotakura's Blue Origin space flight is not explicitly mentioned in the Blue Origin's press release. However, typical suborbital flights with Blue Origin's New Shepard last approximately 11 minutes from launch to capsule landing. This includes a few minutes of weightlessness in space.

The NS-25 mission marks the seventh human spaceflight for the New Shepard program and the 25th in its history, further advancing the possibilities of commercial space travel.

Blue Origin's New Shepard program is a significant venture in the field of commercial space travel aka Space Tourism. Named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space, the New Shepard is a fully reusable suborbital rocket system designed from the outset for human flight.

The system is capable of vertical takeoff and landings, providing an 11-minute journey that takes astronauts past the Kármán line, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space at 100 km/62 miles above Earth.

The crew capsule is pressurized and features large windows, offering each space-tourist a window seat and the opportunity to experience several minutes of weightlessness and breathtaking views of Earth.

The New Shepard program has successfully completed multiple missions, including the recent NS-25 mission, marking its seventh human spaceflight and the 25th flight overall for the program. This milestone reflects Blue Origin's ongoing efforts to build a road to space for the benefit of Earth, making space more accessible for research, technology development, and tourism.

AMD Acquiring Indians Founded Nod.ai, An Open-Source AI Software Startup

Nod.ai to bolster AMD open-source software strategy

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), a California, US based multinational semiconductor company today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Nod.ai to expand the company’s open AI software capabilities. The addition of Nod.ai will bring an experienced team that has developed an industry-leading software technology that accelerates the deployment of AI solutions optimized for AMD Instinct™ data center accelerators, Ryzen™ AI processors, EPYC™ processors, Versal™ SoCs and Radeon™ GPUs to AMD.

The acquisition strongly aligns with the AMD AI growth strategy centered on an open software ecosystem that lowers the barriers of entry for customers through developer tools, libraries and models.

Founded in 2013, by Anush Elangovan and Harsh Menon, nod focus on Machine Intelligence, and enables its customers to effectively and efficiently train and deploy Machine Learning models using advanced Compiler and Code Generation Technologies.

Prior to establishing nod, Anush has worked on the first Google ARM Chrome book. He is an engineering graduate from Madurai Kamraj University Tamil Nadu, India as well as MS from Arizona State and a Bachelor’s from Mepco Schlenk Engineering College in India. While Harsh is a Stanford graduate and was an early employee at Zee.Aero / KittyHawk and worked on flying cars.

nod had raised about $36.5 million in total funding from several investors including 8Square Capital, Atlantic Bridge, Pointguard Ventures and Walden International.

“The acquisition of Nod.ai is expected to significantly enhance our ability to provide AI customers with open software that allows them to easily deploy highly performant AI models tuned for AMD hardware,” said Vamsi Boppana, senior vice president, Artificial Intelligence Group at AMD. “The addition of the talented Nod.ai team accelerates our ability to advance open-source compiler technology and enable portable, high-performance AI solutions across the AMD product portfolio. Nod.ai’s technologies are already widely deployed in the cloud, at the edge and across a broad range of end point devices today.”

“At Nod.ai, we are a team of engineers focused on problem solving — quickly – and moving at pace in an industry of constant change to develop solutions for the next set of problems,” said Anush Elangovan, co-founder and CEO, Nod.ai. “Our journey as a company has cemented our role as the primary maintainer and major contributor to some of the world's most important AI repositories, including SHARK, Torch-MLIR and OpenXLA/IREE code generation technology. By joining forces with AMD, we will bring this expertise to a broader range of customers on a global scale.”

Nod.ai delivers optimized AI solutions to top hyperscalers, enterprises and startups. The compiler-based automation software capabilities of Nod.ai’s SHARK software reduce the need for manual optimization and the time required to deploy highly performant AI models to run across a broad portfolio of data center, edge and client platforms powered by AMD CDNA™, XDNA™, RDNA™ and “Zen” architectures.

Last year in February, AMD acquired Xilinx, Inc., a semiconductor company for $50 billion. Xilinx is known for inventing the first commercially viable field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and creating the first fabless manufacturing model.

Indian American Dr M.S. Reddy Discovers A Revolutionary Method to Control the COVID Pandemic by Inactivating RNA and DNA, Gets Patent

Dr. M.S. Reddy already holds 150 American patents to his credit. Dr. He was nominated over 9 times for the Nobel Prize for his contributions to science

Dr. M.S. Reddy, an Indian American Scientist, widely known as 'Cheese Reddy' gets a patent for his research to curb the spread of COVID. Dr Reddy, a global figure, who holds 150 American patents to his credit, discovered a method to control the COVID pandemic and disclosed this in a press note issued in Hyderabad today.

Dr Malireddy Srinivasulu Reddy (Dr M.S. Reddy) says by inactivating viral RNA we can control the spread of the COVID virus. He opines that in future we can control life-threatening viruses like COVID before they spread. Dr Reddy has registered for a patent on this method with the U.S. Patent Department. The good news is that the American Government has recently awarded a patent for him on this subject.

Experts say this is a revolutionary step in the field of science. It is learnt that we can curb the spread of viruses by inactivating RNA and DNA. So far experts have never thought that naked genetic material is more dangerous than the virus. Applauds are pouring in from different quarters for Dr Reddy for thinking in this direction and also for finding a solution. 

Many Indians, especially Telugus, who have settled in America made the country proud with their achievements. Prominent among them is Dr Malireddy Srinivasulu Reddy (Dr M.S. Reddy). Dr Reddy, who hails from Nellore and settled in the U.S., has got many patents to his credit. He graduated from A.P. Agriculture University in Tirupati and earned his M.S. PhD from Iowa University. He did his higher studies in Food Technology, Bacteriology and Virology and at present he is functioning as Chairman and President of American Dairy and Food Consulting Laboratories and International Media and Cultures. He was honoured with many awards for his research programmes.

Dr Reddy is a world-renowned scientist in the field of Microbiology. He has been conferred with 160 national and international awards. He got the prestigious American Dairy Science Association Richard M. Hoyt memorial award. It is worth mentioning that he is the only foreign-born U.S. Citizen to receive this prestigious national award. He has got many patents for his research work in America. His research on Cheese made him very popular and he is referred to as 'Cheese Reddy'.

He has got over 150 American patents, and written over 140 articles in scientific journals and over 30 e-journals and varied books which made him a global figure. Dr Reddy has been acting as Chairman and Advisor for many organisations. The famous Telugu association in America, NATA, honoured him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Reddy has been nominated over 9 times for the Nobel Prize for his contributions to science, at the world level.

During the COVID crisis, through his shows on TV, he has created awareness among the people on steps to control the virus. His webinars and speeches have become viral with over 10 million hits on YouTube. Recently, he has got a patent for his research to curb the spread of COVID.

Indian Origin Entrepreneurs' 5ire Beats Meta (Facebook), Sandbox to Win ‘Social Impact Project of the Year’ Award

5ire Won The AWARD Beating Out Names Like Meta (formerly Facebook), and Sandbox

5ire, a 5th generation blockchain network founded by two entrepreneurs of Indian origin today announced it has won the AIBC Asia's ‘Social Impact Project of the Year’ award, beating industry giants like Meta and Sandbox.

Underlying the importance of social impact, AIBC stated, "The stronger our ties develop, the more powerful blockchain becomes. Because mass adoption initiatives are critical to the global infrastructure, the Social Impact Project of the Year award will recognize projects that are utilizing blockchain technologies and, as a result, boost adoption and strengthen the community as a whole."

The win was especially significant as 5ire, which was founded just a year ago in 2021, also beat industry giants like Carbon.Fi and Excel.

5ire's CEO and Co-founder Pratik Gauri said this was a significant recognition of the organization’s standing as the first sustainable level 1 blockchain and is a testimony to the market confidence in its offerings.

"This is a humbling moment for the founding team, as this shows that we are on the right track. Our commitment to the UN's 17 SDGs and our mission to solve those challenges by 2030 is being hailed as a crucial tenet for the future," he said.

Prateek Dwivedi, 5ire's CMO and co-founder added, "I am truly humbled and have been given the mandate for finding synergies in how we further promote our vision of 'For-benefit' ventures in the 5ire ecosystem to transition the world from 4th Industrial Revolution to 5th Industrial Revolution, meet the 2030 SDGs and beyond. I feel that sustainability is not a one-time phenomenon, but a consistent development benchmark here on forward."

5ire's CBO and co-founder Vilma Mattila said sustainable development is estimated to be a $20 - 30 billion dollar market in 2022 that is slated to grow to as much as $50 billion by 2030.

5ire has been working on the UN's Sustainability goals and partnering with nations across three continents as the first step in this direction. By signing MOUs, 5ire has taken the first step in the public-private partnerships in India, Nigeria, and the United States to bring their technological solutions for sustainability, better governance, more just and transparent law enforcement, and more.

The award ceremony was held in Dubai on March 20.

5ire is a blockchain ecosystem that brings sustainability, Technology & Innovation to build the 5th industrial revolution (5IR). Founded by Pratik Gauri, Prateek Dwivedi, and Vilma Mattila, proponents of blockchain technology, in August 2021, the mission of the 5ire ecosystem is to embed the for-benefit paradigm at the heart of the blockchain, highly incentivize practises that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), facilitate the transition from the 4IR to 5IR and accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The company's primary offering is 5ireChain, a first layer, sustainability-driven 5th generation blockchain that ensures adherence to the philosophy of 5IR, creating a net positive impact on the planet and serving humanity.

Indian-Origin CEO Gets $2.3 Billon Pay Package from Bill Gates Backed Energy Storage Co.

Jagdeep Singh [Image - Yahoo Finance]

QuantumScape Corp., a US-based energy storage startup company, has offered a billion-dollar salary package to its Indian-origin CEO Jagdeep Singh. QuantumScape was founded in 2010 by Jagdeep Singh along with Tim Holme and Professor Fritz Prinz of Stanford University. 

QuantumScape Corp. has approved a multi-billion dollar salary package for Jagdeep Singh in the meeting of its shareholders. They will be allotted the shares of the company as part of the salary. According to the estimates of proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis, the value of the shares of the company to be allotted to Jagdeep Singh could be around $2.3 billion (about Rs 174.86 billion).

Pay package of Jagdeep Singh is being compared in the EV industry to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who received almost $6.7 billion in compensation last year. And, similar to Jagdeep the staggering pay package of Elon Musk also came in the form of stock options that give him the right to purchase shares of Tesla at a pre-set price, as opposed to a salary or cash bonuses.

Jagdeep holds masters degree from prestigious Stanford University and graduate from University of Maryland, College Park -- a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, U.S

Notably, the investors of QuantumScape include Bill Gates, Khosla Ventures, LightSpeed and Volkswagen, among others.

QuantumScape is developing next-generation solid-state lithium-metal batteries for use in electric vehicles (EV). The company aims to change the paradigm in energy storage by developing a completely new class of electrical energy storage device.

According to the company's data, its battery cell could charge to 80% of capacity in 15 minutes. Further, it retains more than 80% of its capacity after 800 charging cycles, is non-combustable and boasts nearly double the energy density of high-end commercial lithium batteries. 

Last year, the company's shares got listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol QS.QuantumScape’s data showed that its battery cell could charge to 80% of capacity in 15 minutes. Further, it retains more than 80% of its capacity after 800 charging cycles, is non-combustible and boasts nearly double the energy density of high-end commercial lithium batteries.