10 heads of AI in customer support software
Head of AI, VP, Applied AI and Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence are among the current titles held by these ten heads of AI in customer support software, some of whom have since moved on. A reader can learn how heads of AI lead AI and machine learning teams in customer support software businesses.
Professionals to explore
Gi Pan
LinkedInExperience: Director of Artificial Intelligence · [24]7.ai
Gi Pan has been Director of Artificial Intelligence at [24]7.ai since June 2020, based in the United States, and describes leading the AI product team, covering natural language modeling, conversational platforms and generative AI. Gi Pan was Senior Project Manager at [24]7.ai from 2012 to 2020 and Senior Machine Learning Engineer at Genesys from 2008 to 2012.
Jacob Rich
LinkedInExperience: Director, Machine Learning · Y Meadows
Jacob Rich has been Director, Machine Learning at Y Meadows since August 2020, based in Los Angeles, California, and describes helping customer support and success teams. Jacob Rich was AI Engineer at Apple from 2019 to 2020 and Director, Computer Vision and Machine Learning at Ultraviolet from 2017 to 2019.
Jing Jin
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of AI · Talkdesk
Jing Jin has been Senior Director of AI at Talkdesk since February 2025, based in Redmond, Washington. Jing Jin was Director of Software Engineering at UiPath from 2019 to 2025, Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft from 2018 to 2024 and Senior Software Engineer in Windows Device Group at Microsoft from 2014 to 2018.
Kevin Yang
LinkedInExperience: Head of AI · Front
Kevin Yang has been Head of AI at Front since November 2024, based in Mountain View, California, and describes leading AI product and strategy at Front, which is building a modern customer service platform. Kevin Yang was Founder & CEO of Idiomatic, Inc. from 2016 to 2024 and Founder & Board Member of EAT Club from 2010 to 2021.
Pedro Coelho
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Machine Learning Engineering · Zendesk
Pedro Coelho has been Senior Director of Machine Learning Engineering at Zendesk since September 2025, based in Lisbon, Portugal. Pedro Coelho was Director of Machine Learning Engineering at Zendesk from 2023 to 2025, Principal Engineering Leader, Machine Learning at Zendesk from 2021 to 2023 and Co-founder & CTO of Cleverly.ai (acq. by Zendesk) from 2018 to 2021.
Peeyush Aggarwal
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence · Sprinklr
Peeyush Aggarwal has been Senior Director of Artificial Intelligence at Sprinklr since March 2026, based in Canada, and was Director of Artificial Intelligence at Sprinklr from 2024 to 2026. Peeyush Aggarwal was Senior Product Manager at CSA Testing & Certification from 2022 to 2024 and Senior Manager Data Science at Scotiabank from 2019 to 2022.
Poonam Thapar
LinkedInExperience: Director of Machine Learning · Sprinklr
Poonam Thapar has been Director of Machine Learning at Sprinklr since November 2025, based in Gurugram, Haryana, India. Poonam Thapar was Engineering Manager (ML) at Zomato from 2022 to 2025, Chief Engineer (ML Research) at Samsung India from 2021 to 2022 and Lead Engineer (ML Research) at Samsung India from 2019 to 2021.
Sami Ghoche
LinkedInExperience: VP, Applied AI · Zendesk
Sami Ghoche has been VP, Applied AI at Zendesk since April 2026, based in San Francisco, California. Sami Ghoche was Co-Founder & CEO of Forethought from 2024 to 2026, Co-Founder and CTO of Forethought from 2018 to 2024 and Senior Machine Learning Engineer at LinkedIn from 2016 to 2018.
Savi "Sravani" Boggarapu
LinkedInExperience: Director of AI, Software Engineering - ITSM Product · ServiceNow
Savi "Sravani" Boggarapu has been Director of AI, Software Engineering - ITSM Product at ServiceNow since July 2023, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Savi "Sravani" Boggarapu was Senior Engineering Manager - ITSM Product Engineering Team at ServiceNow from 2019 to 2023 and Staff Software Engineer - Customer Service Management Product at ServiceNow from 2016 to 2017.
Sushant Hiray
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director of Machine Learning · RingCentral
Sushant Hiray was Senior Director of Machine Learning at RingCentral from 2023 to 2026, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and describes heading engineering for ACE (formerly RingSense), RingCentral's Conversational AI Platform. Sushant Hiray was Director of Machine Learning at RingCentral from 2020 to 2023 and has been Head of Solutions at Composio since July 2026.
Choose the right perspective
Pick the person whose current or most recent role is closest in scope to the decision you face. Check the dates on each role to see how recent the experience is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you focus on first when you took on your current AI leadership role, and why?
- 02How have you organized and staffed the AI and machine learning team you lead?
- 03How have you decided which AI features to take into production in your own work, and what did you learn from the ones that did not ship?
Reaching heads of AI in customer support software
How can I contact one of these heads of AI in customer support software?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 8 companies, including [24]7.ai, Y Meadows and Talkdesk, based on profile data retrieved on October 22, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach heads of AI in customer support software?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these heads of AI in customer support software a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
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.
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