Umesh Shankar has been appointed as Corporate Vice President of Engineering at Microsoft AI, taking on a pivotal leadership role in shaping the company’s AI-driven future. With extensive experience in artificial intelligence, security, and privacy, Umesh is set to contribute significantly to Microsoft’s growing AI initiatives. His role will focus on driving innovation and integrating AI technologies across Microsoft’s products and services.
At Microsoft AI, Umesh will lead engineering efforts to deliver secure, advanced AI solutions that transform user experiences. His focus will be on building AI systems that are not only powerful but also grounded in privacy and security best practices. The company is working toward a vision of embedding AI into every consumer product, from search and browsing to news and other digital experiences, and Umesh’s expertise is expected to play a key role in achieving this.
Before joining Microsoft, Umesh had a long and distinguished career at Google, where he spent nearly two decades in various leadership roles. Most recently, he was Chief Technologist and Distinguished Engineer for Google Cloud Security, where he led initiatives to ensure the security of AI applications on Google Cloud Platform. His work contributed to developing robust security architectures, helping customers build secure AI-powered solutions.
During his tenure at Google, Umesh also served as Engineering Director for the Google Assistant Ecosystem. In this role, he managed large engineering teams responsible for enhancing Google Assistant’s functionality, focusing on user privacy and seamless integration. His leadership helped expand the Assistant’s capabilities, making it a core part of Google’s consumer offerings.
Additionally, Umesh played a vital role in leading Data Protection Engineering at Google, where he worked on securing users’ data and privacy at scale. His contributions helped design and implement systems that safeguarded sensitive data across Google’s platforms. His strong commitment to privacy, security, and ethical AI practices made him a key leader in shaping Google’s approach to user trust and safety.
With his appointment at Microsoft AI, Umesh is expected to bring this wealth of knowledge and experience to strengthen Microsoft’s AI products, especially in areas where trust, privacy, and security are critical. His move underscores Microsoft’s dedication to ensuring that AI technologies are developed responsibly and align with the highest standards of security and compliance.
Umesh Shankar’s leadership at Microsoft AI is anticipated to accelerate the company’s efforts in AI innovation, ensuring that AI-driven products are not only cutting-edge but also safe and reliable for users worldwide. His track record of building secure and privacy-conscious technologies will be instrumental in guiding Microsoft’s AI engineering teams toward achieving their ambitious goals.