Shyamala Prayaga

Shyamala Prayaga serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Integrated Innovation Institute while leading innovation as a Senior Software Product Manager at NVIDIA. With over 23 years of expertise, she drives advancements in Conversational AI, Generative AI, Deep Learning, and User Experience design across Connected Home, Automotive, and Wearables domains.

Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya, complemented by extensive certifications in AI, product management, and UX design including Certified Conversation Designer and Machine Learning Masterclass.

Prayaga's research pioneers emotionally intelligent voice interfaces, bias reduction in conversational AI, and inclusive design frameworks. Her work bridges technical AI development with human-centered principles, emphasizing empathy, privacy, and accessibility in voice-enabled systems.

Her notable awards include:

• Top 100+ Women Advancing AI in 2023
• Women Leaders of Conversational AI, Class of 2023
• Finalist for the Women in AI Lifetime Achievement Award
• World's Top 200 Business & Technology Innovators

As founder of the Digital Assistant Academy and author of foundational texts like "Emotionally Engaged Digital Assistant", she actively shapes industry standards through the Open Voice Network. Her 20+ certifications span AI leadership, rapid usability research, and explainable AI, establishing her as a cross-disciplinary authority in human-AI interaction.