An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Intelligent Document Processing & Compliance. AI can revolutionize how financial institutions handle documents and maintain compliance. By deploying AI systems that process millions of documents daily, banks can automate KYC verifications, regulatory filings and ESG reporting. This reduces manual effort while improving accuracy and consistency.
In today’s tech-driven world, artificial intelligence has become a key enabler of business success. But the question remains — how can businesses effectively harness AI to address their unique challenges while staying true to ethical principles? To explore this topic further, we are interviewing Reghu Harihara, co-founder at Quantiphi.
Reghu Hariharan, Co-founder of Quantiphi, has more than three decades of experience in data, cloud, AI/ML, technology, consulting and outsourcing, with a track record of delivering exceptional value across Financial Services, Insurance, Retail, Media and Healthcare sectors. As a leader at Quantiphi, Reghu guides a dynamic team in solving what matters for enterprises and delivering cutting-edge, responsible AI solutions worldwide.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path in AI?
With more than 30 years in tech services, I’ve built deep expertise across solution architecture, delivery, operations and business management. Starting out as a technologist with a background in computer engineering, my career evolved into leading business functions across the tech sector. The rapid advancement in the field of storage and compute power combined with AI moving from academia to mainstream in the early part of last decade, led to the conviction of working towards building an AI First Digital Engineering powerhouse along with my partners, culminating in my current role as a co-founder of Quantiphi. I now lead a dynamic team dedicated to solving what matters through responsible AI to drive innovation and deliver transformative business outcomes on a global scale.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started working with artificial intelligence?
Reghu: For me, the most interesting thing that’s happened at Quantiphi since its inception is seeing our company evolve from a small team of a few people in 2013, serving a handful of customers, to a team of more than 3,500, serving 250-plus global 2000 enterprises today and knowing that we’re directly impacting human lives through AI. It takes my breath away if I really stop and think about it. Quantiphi’s biggest strength is that we’ve built an organization where ordinary people with extraordinary aspirations connect with like-minded colleagues and customers to experience the magic of transformation through cutting-edge science. We’re ultimately helping create a smart knowledge workforce and we’re making an impact. And this impact in the market has earned us media features on Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News and in top publications like Forbes, Financial Times, Fintech Global, Benzinga, and Seeking Alpha. We’ve also been recognized by leading industry analysts Frost & Sullivan, NelsonHall, IDC and technology giants like our partners NVIDIA, Google Cloud, Snowflake, and Amazon Web Services.
You are a successful leader in the AI space. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Reghu: In building Quantiphi over the last 12 years, I’ve seen first-hand how remaining positive, tenacity and good work ethic can positively compound over time.
When we started Quantiphi in 2013, AI wasn’t at all mainstream and our focus on AI was constantly questioned. It raised a lot of eyebrows but we made it a point to remain positive knowing that we were on the right track.
Tenacity is a character trait I’m proud to embody. As I mentioned, in the early days of Quantiphi, we faced countless rejections. But persistence was our secret sauce. Tenacity has helped me continually improve and it has helped Quantiphi realize our vision of positively transforming enterprises through the magic of AI.
Having a good work ethic goes without saying, but it’s vital to success. Through a strong work ethic, we’ve built a trusted reputation. Quantiphi has never overpromised or cut corners and our commitment to integrity has helped us solve what matters and build a brand that our customers, partners and colleagues trust.
Let’s jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a specific example of how you or your organization used AI to solve a major business challenge? What was the problem, and how did AI help address it?
Reghu: Let me walk you through a few ways we’re leveraging AI internally at Quantiphi to transform our operations:
Leveraging the rapid advancements in AI, we are now pioneering Agentic workflows that deliver magical outcomes through AI-human interactions at scale. At Quantiphi, we have embedded these transformative capabilities not only in our solutions for customers but also within our own business — optimizing core functions like software development and supporting areas like HR, Legal, and Operations.
AI agents have completely transformed our own and our customers’ businesses. We’re using AI agents to automate complex financial operations, invoice management and even for purchase order matching at a fraction of the traditional cost. This dramatically improves our operational efficiency while maintaining consistent quality, allowing us to focus on the most important things — our customers and partners. The key differentiator in our approach is that we’re not just automating isolated tasks — we’re fundamentally impacting the delivery of the entire business processes. Our AI agents work across multiple modalities — text, voice, images, videos and web interactions — creating a seamless integration of artificial and human intelligence.
In our development teams, we’re also seeing substantial productivity gains comparable to industry benchmarks of 40 to 60 percent improvement in productivity across software development lifecycle through Codeaira, our AI-assisted coding platform. This is particularly significant as these are fundamental units of value in our business. Codeaira helps our engineers by catching potential errors early, generating production-ready code and automating mundane tasks. We’ve essentially turned every engineer into a 10x performer with Codeaira.
What are some of the common misconceptions you’ve encountered about using AI in business? How do you address those misconceptions?
Reghu: First, there’s this notion that AI is a magical solution that can solve any business problem in existence. The reality is different. AI excels in specific areas but isn’t suited for everything at this moment. Second, many people think AI implementation is purely a technical challenge. In truth, successful AI adoption requires a culture of experimentation where teams are allowed to try, fail and learn. Without this cultural foundation, even the most sophisticated AI solutions will struggle to gain traction. Another misconception is that AI will deliver immediate ROI without clear use cases. What we’ve learned is that successful AI initiatives always start with well-defined business cases and clear return on investment metrics. The impact needs to be obvious and measurable. Another incorrect assumption tends to be the belief that AI can be implemented in isolation by the tech team. In reality, early buy-in from InfoSec, AI governance teams and the business teams is crucial. This collaborative approach ensures smooth adoption and addresses potential security and ethical concerns upfront. And probably the biggest misconception we hear is the fear that AI will replace jobs entirely. Instead, in reality, AI amplifies human capabilities, enabling teams to focus on strategic, creative work while AI handles the repetitive, more menial tasks.
In your opinion, what is the most significant way AI can make a positive impact on businesses today?
Reghu: The most significant impact of AI on businesses today is its ability to transform workforce productivity through intelligent automation and augmentation. When implemented correctly, AI acts as a force multiplier, turning average performers into exceptional ones. Beyond individual productivity, AI is revolutionizing entire business operations by optimizing customer interactions and service delivery. This leads to tangible improvements in business margins and operational efficiency. The key is understanding that AI isn’t just about cost reduction — it’s about supplementing human capabilities and creating new possibilities for innovation and growth. When businesses embrace this perspective, they can unlock unprecedented levels of productivity and transformation.
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Ways AI Can Solve Complex Business Problems”? These can be strategies, insights, or tools that companies can use to make the most of AI in addressing their challenges.
Reghu:
- Intelligent Document Processing & Compliance
AI can revolutionize how financial institutions handle documents and maintain compliance. By deploying AI systems that process millions of documents daily, banks can automate KYC verifications, regulatory filings and ESG reporting. This reduces manual effort while improving accuracy and consistency. - Enterprise Knowledge Management
Financial institutions can transform their knowledge bases into interactive AI assistants. This allows employees to quickly access accurate information about products, policies and procedures, dramatically improving response times and reducing errors in customer service and operations. - Risk Assessment and Fraud Detection
AI systems can analyze vast amounts of transaction data in real-time to identify suspicious patterns and potential fraud. By combining historical data with current transaction patterns, these systems can proactively flag high-risk activities before they result in losses. - Personalized Banking Experience
By analyzing customer data and interaction patterns, AI can help create hyper-personalized banking experiences. From customized product recommendations to personalized financial advice, this improves customer engagement and increases wallet share. - Process Automation with Governance
The key to successful AI implementation in BFSI is balancing innovation with governance. This means establishing clear ROI metrics, getting early buy-in from compliance teams and ensuring robust security protocols. This approach enables rapid transformation while maintaining the trust that’s essential in financial services.
How can smaller businesses or startups, with limited budgets, begin to integrate AI into their operations effectively?
Reghu: Start small but think big. Begin with market-proven solutions, offering components and open-source models rather than building everything from scratch. This significantly reduces enterprises’ initial investments while allowing for experimentation and learning.
Second, focus on high-impact, low-complexity use cases. Look for areas where the impact of introducing those AI solutions are consumable within the enterprise and can drive immediate value — like automating customer service responses or streamlining document processing.
Third, launch controlled pilot projects with clear success metrics. This approach helps you demonstrate value quickly while managing risks. When you can show tangible results — like reduced response times or cost savings — it becomes easier to justify further investment.
Remember, the goal isn’t to match the AI capabilities of large enterprises overnight. It’s about starting small, proving value and scaling thoughtfully.
What advice would you give to business leaders who are hesitant to adopt AI because of fear, misconceptions, or lack of understanding?
Reghu: Start small and stay focused. Think of it as a pilot program that can demonstrate tangible value. Don’t try to transform your entire organization overnight. Instead, begin with your highest-performing team and let them identify specific AI tools that could enhance their existing workflows.
The key is to focus on education, experimentation and practical applications. Start with simple use cases where the ROI is clear and measurable. View AI as a tool that augments human capabilities rather than replaces them.
When organizations begin with small, controlled experiments, they build confidence, gather real data about impact and create internal champions who can help drive broader adoption.
In your opinion, how will AI continue to shape the business world over the next 5–10 years? Are there any trends or emerging innovations you’re particularly excited about?
Reghu: Looking at the next decade, AI will fundamentally reshape business in three transformative waves.
The first wave is already here — human-AI collaboration. We’re seeing knowledge workers partnering with AI to dramatically boost productivity. Every role, from developers to healthcare professionals will have AI copilots enhancing their capabilities.
The second wave is about foundation models becoming the new computing platform. We’ll see businesses building specialized AI applications on top of Large Language Models and other foundation models, creating entirely new capabilities and services we can’t even imagine today.
The third wave, that excites me the most, is the emergence of autonomous AI agents. These won’t just be chatbots — they’ll be AI systems that can plan, execute and adapt complex workflows independently.
But here’s the critical point — AI-driven transformation over the next five to 10 years isn’t about technology, it’s about reimagining how value is created. Organizations that grasp this opportunity to restructure their operations around AI capabilities, invest in completely new business models and foster a culture of continuous adaptation will thrive over the next decade.
How do you think the use of AI to solve business problems influences relationships with customers, employees, and the broader community?
Reghu: AI’s influence on relationships is truly profound and multifaceted. For instance, AI is revolutionizing how we deliver value to our customers through unprecedented improvements in customer service, cost efficiency, and risk management.
For employees, AI is transforming the nature of work itself. Instead of replacing workers, we’re augmenting their capabilities. This creates opportunities for upskilling and focusing on higher-value tasks that require uniquely human traits like creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking.
For the broader community, our responsibility is immense. AI’s impact extends far beyond business — it’s reshaping education, healthcare, and social services. That’s why we emphasize ethical AI development with clear governance frameworks.
The key is maintaining human connection at the center of all these transformations. AI should enhance, not replace, the human elements that make relationships meaningful.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people through AI, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
Reghu: If I could start a movement, it would be called ‘AI for Everyone’s Potential’. Its mission would be to democratize AI education and make it accessible to every child, regardless of their background.
First, we’d create a global network of AI learning centers in underserved communities. These would be innovation hubs where young minds could explore AI’s possibilities through hands-on projects and real-world problem solving.
Second, we’d develop an AI curriculum that starts in middle school and continues through high school. Not just teaching technical skills, but focusing on critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and creative problem-solving.
Third, we’d establish a mentorship network connecting industry leaders with students, and finally, we’d create an AI Solutions for Community program where students use AI to solve local challenges.
The ultimate goal of this movement would be to ensure the next wave of AI innovation comes from everywhere, not just a privileged few of Silicon Valley. We need diverse perspectives shaping AI’s future.
How can our readers further follow you online?
Reghu: You can learn more by visiting Quantiphi.com and following Quantiphi on LinkedIn, X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
Reghu Hariharan Of Quantiphi On How Artificial Intelligence Can Solve Business Problems was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.