Prasad

About Prasad

The greatest risk in the AI era isn\'t the technology—it\'s the gap between the machine and the human.I began working with Artificial Intelligence in 1986. Over four decades, I\'ve witnessed three AI revolutions—from symbolic AI to expert systems to today\'s deep learning. I\'ve seen a clear pattern: organizations that win aren\'t those with the most sophisticated models. They\'re the ones led by people who can simultaneously balance quick action with long-term wisdom; those who can see the human dimension that algorithms miss.As a Professor at Brown University and author of Nimble (endorsed by Adam Grant, Dan Pink, and Vijay Govindarajan), I help CEOs bridge this AI-Human Gap through Strategic Agility. My proprietary Five Agilities Framework—Analytical, Operational, Inventive, Communicative, and Visionary—provides leaders with a navigation system for turbulent times. The first four enable rapid mode-shifting. But Visionary Agility operates differently: it\'s the capacity to think from \"beyond-me, beyond-now, beyond-my-company\" and shape an industry\'s future rather than merely react to change.During 2025, companies invested $47 billion in AI. Yet, 89% of that investment produced minimal returns. The failure wasn\'t technological—it was because of what I call the \"Responsibility Gap.\" Leaders deploy AI without considering whether it is right for the context, without preventing deskilling in the organization, without ensuring a fair distribution of costs and benefits, and without thinking about the long term. Strategic Agility helps CEOs close this gap by combining speed with wisdom.As a poet, novelist, and filmmaker, I bring a storyteller\'s craft to my speaking about strategic challenges. I strip away jargon to give executive audiences the clarity they need to make AI strategy memorable, actionable, and profoundly human.My keynote topics include:\"Leading with Wisdom in an Algorithmic World,\"\"The Nimble Leader: Mastering the Five Agilities in the Age of AI,\"\"Bridging the AI-Human Gap: Closing the Responsibility Gap in Deployment,\" and \"Beyond the Hype: Why 89% of AI Initiatives Fail.\"This perspective comes from an unusual foundation: PhD from Wharton in technology strategy, 40 years working with AI evolution, and two decades advising organizations like IBM, L\'Oréal, and Synopsys—combined with a parallel life in poetry, fiction, and film.If you\'re a CEO who refuses to choose between technological sophistication and human wisdom, let\'s talk. I deliver keynote talks that help leadership teams bridge the AI-Human Gap with Strategic Agility.

Experience

1. Author of Nimble Make yourself and your Company Resilient in the Age of Constant Change

   Penguin Random House

   Feb 2015 — Present · Providence, RI, US

   Nimble introduces the Five Agilities Framework—analytical, operational, innovative, communicative, and visionary—that has helped leaders create resilient, adaptive organizations.Endorsed by Adam Grant, Dan Pink, Vijay Govindarajan, Brad Smith (Intuit), Narayana Murthy (Infosys), and Frans van Houten (Royal Philips).

Education

• St Joseph's University

  Bachelor of Science (BSc)

  1978 — 1981

• The Wharton School

  Ph.D., Operations & Info Mgmt

  1993 — 1997

• University of Hyderabad

  M.Tech., Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

  1986 — 1988

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

  BS, Electrical Engineering

  1981 — 1984

• Dartmouth College

  Computer Science

  1988 — 1989

• Kansas State University

  MS, Computer Science

  1989 — 1991

Skills

• Project Management
• Consulting
• Leadership
• Team Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• Organizational Agility
• Start-Ups
• People-Oriented
• Management Consulting
• Business Development
• Entrepreneurship
• IT Strategy
• Strategic Partnerships
• Strategic Communications
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Product Management
• Team Management
• Management