10 Adobe AI and data science leaders
VP, Generative AI, Head of Applied Research (Senior Director), GenAI and Director, Machine Learning and AI are among the current titles held by these Adobe AI and data science leaders, with roles covering Firefly, Adobe Express, Adobe Experience Platform and Advertising Cloud. A reader can learn how AI and data science leaders work at Adobe from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Alok Kothari
LinkedInExperience: Director of Machine Learning, Adobe Advertising Cloud · Adobe
Alok Kothari has been Director of Machine Learning, Adobe Advertising Cloud at Adobe since January 2017, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Alok Kothari was VP Engineering, Optimization / Machine Learning at TubeMogul, Inc. in 2016 and Vice President of Analytics, Engineering at Gamut. Smart media from Cox. from 2014 to 2016.
Brian Eriksson
LinkedInExperience: Director, Machine Learning and AI · Adobe
Brian Eriksson has been Director, Machine Learning and AI at Adobe since July 2024, based in San Jose, California, with a headline that names GenAI, search and recommendations. Brian Eriksson was Sr. Manager, Machine Learning and AI at Adobe from 2020 to 2024 and Manager, Applied Research and AI there from 2017 to 2020.
Gaurav Kukal
LinkedInExperience: Sr Director of Engineering, AI Foundations, Adobe Express · Adobe
Gaurav Kukal has been Sr Director of Engineering, AI Foundations, Adobe Express at Adobe since December 2024, a role the profile places in San Jose, leading Generative AI agents for design, information retrieval and search. Gaurav Kukal also held the roles Senior Director Of Engineering -Search, GenAI and Big Data at Adobe from 2022 to 2025 and Director Of Engineering Adobe Search & Sensei from 2019 to 2022.
Jin Xu
LinkedInExperience: Director, Machine Learning · Adobe
Jin Xu has been Director, Machine Learning at Adobe since July 2023, based in San Jose, California. Jin Xu was Senior Manager, Data Science at Adobe from 2020 to 2023, Manager, Data Science there from 2016 to 2020 and Data Scientist there from 2014 to 2016.
Jingwan Lu
LinkedInExperience: Head of Applied Research (Senior Director), GenAI · Adobe
Jingwan Lu has been Head of Applied Research (Senior Director), GenAI at Adobe since June 2023, based in Sunnyvale, California, with a headline that reads Head of Applied Research, GenAI, Adobe Firefly Modeling. Jingwan Lu held a role at Adobe from 2014 to 2023 that the profile lists as Founder of Adobe Firefly and Principal scientist at Adobe Research.
Lakshminarayanan Renganarayana
LinkedInExperience: VP, Generative AI · Adobe
Lakshminarayanan Renganarayana has been VP, Generative AI at Adobe since December 2025, a role the profile places in San Jose and describes as reimagining document experiences with Generative AI. Lakshminarayanan Renganarayana held Sr. Director and Head of AI / ML Engineering, Document Cloud roles at Adobe from 2020 to 2022 and from 2023 to 2025, and was VP of Machine Learning & Engineering at Persefoni from 2022 to 2023.
Oliver Brdiczka
LinkedInExperience: Head of AI Safety and Quality, Adobe Firefly · Adobe
Oliver Brdiczka has been Head of AI Safety and Quality, Adobe Firefly at Adobe since January 2025, based in Henderson, Nevada. Oliver Brdiczka also held the roles Director of Applied Research, GenAI at Adobe from 2023 to 2025, Principal ML Scientist, Director at Adobe from 2020 to 2023 and AI Architect at Adobe from 2017 to 2020.
Pat Wibbeler
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director - AI Engineering and Evaluation · Adobe
Pat Wibbeler has been Senior Director - AI Engineering and Evaluation at Adobe since November 2023, based in Rocklin, California. Pat Wibbeler was Senior Director of Software Engineering and Data Science - Adobe Document Cloud at Adobe from 2021 to 2023 and Director, Engineering - Adobe Document Cloud Mobile there from 2017 to 2021.
Yunyao Li
LinkedInExperience: Director of Machine Learning, Adobe Experience Platform · Adobe
Yunyao Li has been Director of Machine Learning, Adobe Experience Platform at Adobe since October 2023, based in San Jose, California. Yunyao Li was Head of Machine Learning, Apple Knowledge Platform at Apple from 2022 to 2023 and Distinguished Research Staff Member at IBM from 2021 to 2022.
Ziad Alhabbari
LinkedInExperience: Director of Applied ML · Adobe
Ziad Alhabbari has been Director of Applied ML at Adobe since March 2020, based in San Jose, California, leading cross-functional machine learning teams responsible for AI feature strategy and implementation across Adobe Creative Cloud. Ziad Alhabbari was Senior Machine Learning Manager at Adobe from 2016 to 2020 and Machine Learning Manager at Microsoft from 2012 to 2016.
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's current area, as their title names it, to the question you bring. Check when each person's current role started to judge how closely their view reflects the work today.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current AI leadership role?
- 02How do you decide which machine learning work moves from research into a shipped product?
- 03What have you learned about evaluating the quality and safety of generative AI features before release?
Reaching Adobe AI and data science leaders
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About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.