Washington: President-elect Donald Trump has named Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI). “Sriram Krishnan will serve as the Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy,” Trump announced on Sunday, alongside a series of appointments focused on AI advancements.
Krishnan, a renowned venture capitalist and author, has an impressive background, having worked with tech giants like Twitter, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo!, and Snap. In his new role, he will collaborate closely with David Sacks, who has been designated as the White House AI & Crypto Czar. “Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in AI and help shape and coordinate AI policy across government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Sriram started his career at Microsoft as a founding member of Windows Azure,” Trump highlighted. Following the announcement, Krishnan expressed his gratitude on X, posting, “I’m honoured to be able to serve our country and ensure continued American leadership in AI working closely with David Sacks.” Krishnan’s appointment has been widely applauded by the Indian-American community, recognising his contributions to technology and leadership.
Born in Chennai, India, Krishnan moved to the United States after completing his graduation. Apart from being a seasoned tech leader, he is also a venture capitalist, podcaster, and author. Together with his wife, Aarthi Ramamurthy, he co-hosted The Aarthi and Sriram Show, a podcast centred on various aspects of startups, which gained significant popularity within the entrepreneurial community.
In February 2021, Krishnan joined Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) as a general partner. He later led the firm’s London office in 2013. However, He exited the firm in late November. In 2022, Krishnan collaborated with Elon Musk on restructuring Twitter following Musk’s acquisition of the platform. He is also credited with helping former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reconnect with Elon Musk after the latter’s nomination to the proposed Department of Government Efficiency.