The world knows Alexa as the voice that responds to commands, answers questions, and even cracks jokes. But behind this widely recognized virtual assistant stands an Indian-born genius who has quietly shaped the future of artificial intelligence. TIME Magazine recently recognized him on its 'TIME100 Most Influential People in AI 2024' list, solidifying his place among the most powerful tech minds. But who exactly is Rohit Prasad, and how did he engineer a voice that’s now present in millions of homes?
Born in Ranchi, India, Rohit Prasad’s fascination with technology began at an early age. After completing a degree in Electrical and Communication Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, he pursued an MS in Electrical Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, USA. His career began at BBN Technologies, a company famed for its role in creating ARPANET—the predecessor to the internet. Over 14 years, Prasad advanced from a staff scientist to Senior Director, handling critical speech, language, and multimedia technologies.
In 2013, Prasad’s life took a dramatic turn when he joined Amazon’s Lab126 as the Director of Machine Learning. Tasked with innovating customer interaction, he drew inspiration from *Star Trek*’s virtual assistants, and the idea for Alexa was born. By 2016, Prasad became the head scientist for Alexa’s artificial intelligence and speech recognition.
However, developing Alexa into the seamless assistant we know today wasn’t easy. Especially in markets like India, where accents and languages vary significantly, creating a voice assistant that could adapt was a complex task. But Prasad, ever the problem solver, worked tirelessly to refine Alexa’s ability to understand and interact with a global audience.
In 2024, Prasad’s groundbreaking work earned him a spot on TIME’s prestigious list, alongside other Indian AI visionaries like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Abridge Co-founder Shiv Rao. Prasad’s influence in the field of artificial intelligence now extends beyond Alexa, as he leads Amazon’s efforts in developing cutting-edge AI technology.
