Photos by Ralph Freso
It seemed paradoxical when Igor Jablokov, CEO and founder of Pryon – an advanced artificial intelligence platform – held a print edition copy of the Wall Street Journal while facing a group of Grand Canyon University students Monday at the Colangelo College of Business.
He is, after all, a mover-and-shaker in the cutting-edge world of AI, which says everything new about the world, compared to the old-school world of print communication.
But Jablokov, who in his career created technology that was acquired by Amazon and is now in countless Alexa-powered devices, was making a point.
“I wonder about how many pages (I flipped through) before I read something about AI,” Jablokov said. “It usually doesn’t disappoint.”
Described as an “industry luminary” by Speech Technology Magazine, Jablokov discussed the growing presence of AI in business, despite panic among major companies, and touched on his personal journey to becoming a technology leader.
Jablokov’s work is credited with paving the way for products such as Echo and Fire TV. He founded Yap, an AI platform acquired by Amazon. And Jablokov led an IBM advanced team that created Baby Watson and worked with Apple on Siri.
Jablokov is scheduled to meet the National Association of Corporate Directors at Columbia Business School on April 25, and he knows what he's going to tell them: “Their companies aren’t ready for these transformations,” he said.
Business college Dean John Kaites moderated the session and asked what advice he could impart to a group of mostly business students.
Jablokov questioned the need for a work/life balance, especially if one enjoyed his or her work.
“You know when you have to take an early flight?” Jablokov asked. “And then your roommates and family members are yelling at you. And it’s two o’clock in the morning, and you’re staring at the ceiling.
“Whatever it is you’re doing … you're painting or sculpting or writing or whatever that thing is, that should be your career, if nothing else. … Otherwise, you’re in for a grind.”
Jablokov also stressed to students to be prepared, know that not everything goes perfectly, and stay calm in moments of crisis.
He described a situation in which senior executives were screaming and miffed that he wasn’t reacting to a negative situation.
“Would you expect Capt. (Sully) Sullenberger to panic?” replied Jablokov, referring to the U.S. Airways pilot who landed a plane safely on the Hudson River. “It’s my job to be calm. There’s always going to be something that goes wrong.”
Jablokov also stressed patience to students wanting to get ahead of the curve.
“I like to observe first,” Jablokov said. “I’m not going to make the first move. I’m going to observe what’s happening in the market, what’s happening with competitors, what’s happening with technology and stuff like that, and I’m going to sneak in sideways.
“… The businesses that survive are very nimble. They collect information.”
Jablokov was born in Greece to starving artists and lived in a cave on an island with no electricity. Then his family moved to Philadelphia when he was 6 years old and lived with his grandparents.
He later moved to Montreal and recalled spending his summers being exposed to a spectrum of educational experiences, from learning STEM to working on a farm.
That upbringing has stayed with Jablokov, who told students that their childhood heroes might not be as perfect as they once thought after they grow up and reach their mid 20s and 30s.
“The most interesting TV program and film you should watch is the story of your life,” Jablokov said. “Ask who are some of your role models. And they fall into the pattern we do when we’re younger.”
Jablokov cited business leaders and sports stars as examples.
“Once I got older, I realized they were flawed,” Jablokov said. “They did bad things and stuff like that. Actually, the more I realized what my parents and grandparents actually did for us, and family members around you and friends, they were here to support you on your journey."
GCU News Senior Writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
