AI, Optimism, and Everyday Leadership: Lessons from the IIT Bay Area 2025 Leadership Conference
AI, Optimism, and Everyday Leadership: Lessons from the IIT Bay Area 2025 Leadership Conference
Every September, the IIT Bay Area Leadership Conference brings together entrepreneurs, technologists, investors, and dreamers who want to shape the future. This year, the theme wasn’t fear or disruption—it was optimism. Optimism about how we can harness AI responsibly, use it to solve problems once thought unsolvable, and most importantly, ground all this progress in human values.
I left the two-day event not only inspired but also deeply reflective. Here are the highlights and the leadership lessons I carried home.
Day 1: Power, Presence, and Purpose in the AI Era
Day 1 was intentionally designed for women leaders. The energy in the room was electric.
Everyone is a learner. In the panel discussion, Monica Bajaj, VP of Engineering at Okta, said something that stayed with me: “For the first time in history, everyone—from children to seniors—is a learner of AI.” That simple framing removes intimidation. None of us are behind; all of us are learning together.
Play sparks imagination. Between sessions, Manya Sinvhal, a first-year Berkeley undergrad, ran fun quiz segments that had people buzzing. It emphasized that curiosity and play open the door to creativity—even in professional spaces.
Self-care as leadership. Dr. Bettina Kurkijian’s talk on Women’s Health and Wellness was a grounding pause. She emphasized that leaders cannot give their best without caring for themselves. She left us with practical wisdom:
Michael Pollan’s food mantra: “Eat real food, not too much, and avoid stuff that won’t rot.”
Exercise “snacks” — even one to two minutes that add up, with strength training twice a week.
Reframing stress with the “above and below the line” model and exploring tools like Duke’s CAWS program.
Combining care: eat with loved ones, exercise with a friend, or hike in nature—what she called 2-for-1 or even 3-for-1 care.
And her best reminder: “We don’t have to be perfect to be amazing.”
Harvard Business Review notes that leaders who prioritize well-being build more engaged and resilient teams (“Resilience Is About How You Recharge, Not How You Endure,” HBR, 2016). Bettina’s session brought that truth to life.
Day 2: Expanding the Lens
The second day opened the doors to everyone. The auditorium was full, the energy buzzing, and Swapnil Sinvhal did a fantastic job emceeing—keeping us engaged, on track, and on time.
The sessions spanned the future of enterprises, investment, security, and scale—but a few moments stood out for me.
AI in Service of Humanity
Anima Anandkumar, Professor at Caltech and recipient of the 2025 Time 100 Impact Award, gave one of the most compelling keynotes. She shared how AI is already:
Predicting weather patterns more accurately and earlier, giving communities warning before hurricanes.
Accelerating drug discovery by simulating complex biological interactions.
Helping solve math problems once thought impossible.
What struck me wasn’t the technology alone, but her framing: AI as a partner in advancing science and human resilience.
McKinsey’s 2024 State of AI Report echoes this optimism: “Organizations that adopt AI responsibly and at scale are reporting 15–20% gains in efficiency and innovation cycles.” The key is to balance speed with responsibility.
Integrity Above All
Tyler Shultz, known for being the whistleblower at Theranos, reminded us that integrity is the ultimate leadership currency. His words cut through the buzz of AI and venture capital: staying true to ourselves matters more than hype.
Gallup research backs this up: leaders who are perceived as honest and ethical see up to a 40% increase in employee trust and discretionary effort (Gallup Workplace Report, 2023). Integrity isn’t just a value—it’s a performance multiplier.
Parenting in the AI Era
One of the more personal and memorable moments came from Bipul Sinha, CEO of Rubrik. In a fireside chat moderated by Joubin Mirzadegan, he shared two lessons:
There is no ChatGPT at home for his young son—he wants him to first build the ability to transform information into knowledge.
And more broadly, he emphasized the importance of ambition and dedication—core values he believes are essential to reach big goals.
It was a leadership lesson disguised as both a parenting choice and a personal principle: don’t let convenience rob us of capability, and don’t underestimate the power of grit.
AI Applications That Stuck With Me
Alexandru Costin (Adobe): spoke about the AI Super Highway and the utility of synthetic data—and reframed “hallucination as a feature” in creative contexts. A provocative way of looking at AI’s potential as a creative partner.
Sam Hamilton (Visa): reminded us that organizations must stay safe and robust with guardrails. It’s not just about speed—it’s about responsibility.
Amit Zavery (ServiceNow): grounded us with everyday applications like voice AI enabling multilingual customer service—AI solving real-world problems right now.
Vedant Agrawal (Premji Invest): gave me a leadership phrase to carry forward: “Strong conviction, weakly held.” Make decisions with confidence, but stay open to new evidence.
And yes, on the showcase floor, I spotted an Oura-like product with continuous glucose monitoring built in. Imagine the power of real-time health data—proactive care instead of reactive fixes.
Leadership Takeaways: Optimism with Responsibility
Stepping back, a few themes became clear across the two days.
AI is everyone’s classroom. Whether you’re a student, parent, or senior leader, the mindset shift is the same: stay curious and keep learning.
Integrity is timeless. Tools evolve, industries change, but honesty and courage remain the foundation of leadership.
Self-care fuels presence. Leaders can’t pour from an empty cup—wellness isn’t optional, it’s part of leadership.
The next generation needs space to build capability. As Bipul reminded us, technology should enhance—not replace—human learning.
Decisions require balance. Conviction matters, but so does humility—holding beliefs lightly lets us adapt.
Optimism wins. Fear slows us down. But optimism paired with responsibility helps us move faster and better.
Why This Matters for Everyday Leaders
You don’t have to be a venture capitalist or professor to learn from this conference. For everyday managers, founders, or team leads, the message is clear:
Encourage your team to stay curious about AI instead of fearing it.
Lead with integrity, especially when shortcuts appear tempting.
Make wellness part of your leadership toolkit.
Invest in human capability before leaning on automation.
Use optimism as your leadership frame—it sets the tone for your team.
Closing Reflection
As I left the conference hall, I thought about Monica Bajaj’s words: “We are all learners of AI.”
And just as AI is changing industries, it’s also shaping communities. During networking, I met Bharat Paliwal, who is connecting high school students with companies to give them real project opportunities. It struck me that leadership isn’t only about scaling enterprises—it’s also about investing in the next generation.
Leadership in this new era isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about learning alongside our teams, making choices with integrity, and remembering that optimism is contagious.
That’s the kind of leadership we need—not just at conferences, but in everyday life.
