Pocket FM appoints ex-Netflix exec as director of AI

Gurugram-based Pocket FM has appointed Pannagadatta K Shivaswamy as the director of artificial intelligence (AI). Shivaswamy will head the company’s AI initiatives while overseeing the integration of voice assistants and content analytics, user experience enhancement, and advancement of the company’s generative AI capabilities.

He will work with the engineering and content teams to develop and deploy advanced AI models and improve audio content discovery and engagement.

“Pocket FM has already established itself as a frontrunner in the entertainment space with a completely new audio series category, and I look forward to leveraging AI's power to enhance its capabilities and create immersive experiences for millions of our users,” said Shivaswamy.

Shivaswamy was a machine learning scientist at Netflix before joining Pocket FM. He has also worked with companies like LinkedIn and AT&T Research. He holds a doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in computer science from Columbia University, a  Master's degree in systems science and automation from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and a Bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Mysore.

"His extensive AI experience and deep understanding of the audio entertainment industry resemble our stature of work as we continue to innovate and enhance our platform. We believe his leadership will accelerate our AI initiatives, including voice assistants, audio analytics, content analytics, and delivering personalised and immersive audio experiences to our users,” said Prateek Dixit, chief technology officer and co-founder, Pocket FM.

Last week, Pocket FM appointed Anurag Sharma as the chief financial officer. He was elevated from the post of vice president — finance at the company.

As the CFO, Sharma will take care of Pocket FM's financial operations and build the company’s financial strategy.