Kushank at Google I/O, where he was recently invited to attend by Google Canada.
Who is Kushank in one sentence?
Creator entrepreneur with way too many interests.
Where are you from, and how long have you been in Vancouver?
I was born in India but I’ve been living in Vancouver for about 14 years. It’s basically home now.
What are three things we’d find you doing on a Saturday?
Playing tennis or golf, or being outdoors with friends. Stanley Park, David Lam Park, and Burnaby Tennis Club are a few of my favourite tennis spots, and Riverway is always a fun course for golf.
If I’m hiking, I love getting out to the North Shore or Squamish area, ideally somewhere with a lake or waterfall where you can go for a dip after.
You started making content around AI long before it got mainstream. What sparked that interest for you?
I've always been a generalist. I went to school for engineering, then I worked in consulting and product. Being a generalist, I've always been looking for tools or technology to help bridge the skill gap and the time gap so I can do different things. So I was always obsessed with what other people are building, because new tools would be my leverage.
At the same time, I was going through a phase to do things out of my comfort zone. I decided to talk about things on TikTok just because I used to hate social media, so I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Did it for about 30 days then it kind of became a habit. Then some videos did really well and I got hooked, and now I love it.
What’s something that you think most people are missing about AI right now?
The whole narrative about AI taking jobs or not taking jobs is a bit more nuanced than people think. I see it the same way as how having access to iPhone cameras made everyone a photographer.
The iPhone didn’t replace professional photographers, it replaced the ones who were only selling access to a camera. AI won’t replace professionals. It’ll replace the ones who were only selling access to knowledge or process, not judgment.
If you could share a message with everyone in Vancouver, what would you say?
Let's say hi to more strangers in this city.
Tell Vancouver where they can follow along and support you!
@digitalSamaritan or @practicalyAI on IG/TikTok/YouTube. Also, if anyone has used AI in a way that's impacted their life, send me a note at [email protected]. I would love to spotlight those stories, and that could inspire other people as well.
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