About Manuj Aggarwal: Manuj Aggarwal is the Chief Technology Officer of TetraNoodle Technologies, a company he founded in 2000 that provides startups with technology consulting and ongoing education. Manuj started as a factory worker in India, earning $2/day, and ended up in the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies in Canada and the USA. Located in Vancouver, Canada, TetraNoodle has served clients ranging from startups to large corporations. They are focused on empowering businesses with Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. They are an end-to-end service provider for all AI and technology solutions. They do whatever it takes to enable AI capabilities for your organization. Whether building data engineering pipelines, enabling cloud migration, developing data products to validate AI models, or performing QA, they provide the full spectrum of services necessary to succeed in your AI plans. They work with three kinds of customers: Early-Stage Startups that want to embed AI into their products, Small and Medium Businesses that cannot have their own AI teams, and Large Enterprises that need AI expertise to guide their teams. Check out the latest episode of our Conversational Selling podcast to learn more about Manuj.
In this episode, Nancy and Manuj discuss the following:
- Manuj’s background in technology and AI
- The concept of data being the new oil and AI being the new engine
- How AI can be both beneficial and potentially harmful, depending on its use
- The overlap between technology and human psychology
- The need for businesses to embrace technology, particularly AI, to stay competitive
Key Takeaways:
- Data can now be converted into dollars.
- You can create powerful solutions once you understand how to utilize data and use AI to crunch big numbers.
- AI is a tool to help you be creative faster.
- We are entering a vast new era of a new way of doing work. Every company is going to be a technology company moving forward.
“The world always values useful resources. So, we consume oil. That’s a very valuable resource. We consume food. All kinds of materials that we consume are resources. And people who own that resource can charge money for it. Now, if you look at platforms like Facebook or Twitter, they are, or even Google, giving away everything for free. You can use most of the Google products for free, Facebook for free, and Twitter for free. So, how are these companies making so much money? Yeah, by advertising based on the data that they collect on you.” – MANUJ
“Yeah, every business grows based on a few factors. One is whether they have a great team managing the business. Another one is whether they have good brand credibility in the market. Another one is whether customers are coming in regularly into their storefront or what have you. All of these take a massive amount of skill and energy. You need to find trained people, experienced people. But imagine if you could use AI to supplement their capabilities. So, let’s say if you have a team of five people and use AI to double their productivity in the next 30 days, right? That means your business will grow double within the next 30 days.” – MANUJ
“See, the thing is that AI is analyzing data and recognizing patterns in that data. So, our world is complex. So, I’ll give you an example. So, let’s say a child, a 10-year-old child, touches a hot stove. They will know that they shouldn’t touch it next time because it will hurt. So, our mind has learned one data point. And it has become intelligent now that this is the wrong action to take. But let’s say that child is in the middle of Antarctica, and they are wearing heat-resistant gloves, and it’s really chilly out there. And now they touch the stove, it will feel warm and pleasant, not hot. So now their mind is learning that, OK, even there are variations of this situation. So, if the parameters are correct, it may be OK to touch the hot stove. Right? Yeah, so our mind collects this data and then understands these patterns. But let’s say extrapolate that to large problems like climate change or finding a cure for cancer or anything like that. There are millions and millions of parameters involved in that.” – MANUJ
Connect with Manuj Aggarwal:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manujaggarwal/
- Personal: https://manujaggarwal.com/
- TetraNoodle:https://tetranoodle.com/
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Voiceover: You’re listening to The Conversational Selling Podcast with Nancy Calabrese.
Nancy Calabrese: Hi, it’s Nancy Calabrese, and it’s time again for Conversational selling – the podcast where sales leaders and business experts share what’s going on in sales and marketing today and it always starts with the human conversation. Today we’re speaking with Manuj Aggarwal, the founder and chief innovation officer at Tetra Noodle Technologies, an elite AI consulting company. With a remarkable track record of driving transformative change, Manuj has touched at least 10 million lives and generated over 500 million in value through his expertise in technology and AI. He has shared his insights at the United Nations alongside distinguished figures like the Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winners, President Obama and Bill Gates, have recognized his work. And with four AI patents to his name, Manuj is the perfect mentor to guide you through the transformative potential of AI and its benefits for businesses. Welcome to the show, Manuj. I’m so happy to have you.
Manuj Aggarwal: Thank you so much. Thanks. Excited to be here. [1:28]
Nancy Calabrese: My goodness, I guess my first question is, how did you get involved with AI?
Manuj Aggarwal: Well, I’ve been in technology for about 30 years, building software for startups to large corporations. And I have always tried to stay at the cutting edge of technology, learning new technologies as they come out. And so, AI, I mean, a lot of people don’t know this, but AI has been around for at least two to three decades now.
Nancy Calabrese: Right.
Manuj Aggarwal: And yeah, yeah. So when I started noticing the power that AI can generate and create in the world, I started getting involved in it around 2007 or so. [2:20]
Nancy Calabrese: Okay. And so, I know that you state it’s the invisible currency. Data is the new oil and AI is the new engine. Explain that to us.
Manuj Aggarwal: That’s right. Yeah, see, the world always values resources which are useful, right? So, we consume oil. That’s a very valuable resource. We consume food. All kinds of material that we consume, that’s a resource. And people who own that resource can charge money for it. Now, if you look at platforms like Facebook or Twitter, they are or even Google, right? These platforms are giving away everything for free. Like you can use most of the Google products for free, Facebook for free, Twitter for free. So how are these companies making so much money? Yeah, but advertising based on the data that they collect on you. [3:26]
Nancy Calabrese: Alright. Great. Well, advertising. I’m going to go ahead and close the video.
Manuj Aggarwal: Okay, so data can be now converted into dollars.
Nancy Calabrese: Wow. I mean, it’s just scary. You know, it’s funny you say that because I was on a news website and up popped up a store that I shopped from. And I’m like, this is weird. I was just thinking about going there. So how did they know to pop it up?
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, yeah, exactly. So, these are the kind of things, as they collect data, they can almost predict behavior, or they can understand people at a very deep level. And that applies in both good scenarios, bad scenarios, because the good part is it leads to new discoveries, new drugs for diseases, new ways of solving big problems, all of that. The idea is the more you understand data, the more data you collect, it is a powerful, powerful resource now in the digital age to convert that data into something tangible, something valuable in the world. [4:34]
Nancy Calabrese: Yeah. Well, what’s the bad side of it, though?
Manuj Aggarwal: Well, I mean, see, any technology can be used for good and bad, right? So, the point is once you understand how to utilize data and use AI to crunch big numbers, like, you know, understanding data is itself a complex problem and AI can help with all of that. And when you combine like human creativity with the intelligence of the machines, you can create some powerful solutions. But the idea is to recognize that this is the new age we are entering of the humans supplemented by machines and data is a very, very important resource. [5:19]
Nancy Calabrese: Yeah. So, we mentioned earlier that you feel there’s potential of AI and its benefits for businesses. Can you explain that?
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, every business grows based on a few factors. One is whether they have a great team managing the business. Another one is whether they have a good brand credibility in the market. Another one is whether they have customers coming in regularly into their storefront or what have you. All of these take massive amount of skill, energy. You need to find trained people, experienced people. But imagine if you could use AI to supplement their capabilities. So, let’s say, if you have a team of five people and use AI to double their productivity in the next 30 days, right? That means your business will grow double within the next 30 days. [6:31]
Nancy Calabrese: Yep. Wow. And so how do you use AI to do prospecting? How does it work?
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, see, what is prospecting? Prospecting is talking to as many people as possible and saying: “Hey, it seems like our interests are aligned. It seems like we have the solution to your problems. How will you like us to have a chat?” Isn’t that what prospecting being? Now, to do that, a human being needs to be good at communication. And it doesn’t come easy because there’s a lot of factors like fear of rejection, because if you talk to like 100 people, many people may not even respond nicely to you. [7:21]
Nancy Calabrese: Well, it’s a no business, that’s for sure.
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, yeah. And now if you can supplement that with AI, then you can expand the capacity of the same human being by giving them an ability to, you know, take actions at a faster pace. Maybe, let’s say we are sending a personalized invite to somebody and saying: “Hey, I’d like to talk to you about this we start to use cookie cutter solutions”. But if we can use AI to personalize it very quickly, then I can be very productive, and my results can be much more effective. [8:07]
Nancy Calabrese: Yep. Yeah. So, what I’m hearing is it just helps you be more efficient, correct?
Manuj Aggarwal: Exactly, exactly. Yeah, just like any other technology, right? Like, take for example, a car, a car will help you go faster. You know, a crane will help you lift heavier weights. It’s just like that. Yeah, is a tool to help you, you know, be create faster basically.
Nancy Calabrese: Yeah. Is there a story that the audience would find interesting?
Manuj Aggarwal: Story about AI?
Nancy Calabrese: You, AI, anything.
Manuj Aggarwal: Lots of stories. It depends on what kind of story will you like. We can certainly share. We can start.
Nancy Calabrese: Well, how about your story from the early days, how you got involved?
Manuj Aggarwal: Sure. Yeah. So, my story starts in India. I grew up in a small town, and I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. And my career started working in a factory, and I learned quite a bit there. But it was a very, very difficult life, six days a week, 12 hours a day. And what I did was I realized I got some inspiration from some business magazines. And I realized earlier on that for me to improve my life, I will need to acquire a valuable skill. And, and at that time, you know, computers and software were just sort of coming up in India, but I got involved in it and I loved programming. I loved software. And then one thing led to another, you know, I started working with a lot of startups, a fortune 500 companies started working on some really impactful projects. And through all this, I had various personal experiences where I felt quite depressed with life and almost suicidal at one point. So, then it was sort of a wake-up call. I was like, okay, there is something wrong that I need to really address. And so, after a while, I was trying to figure out what to do. I talked to a lot of therapists and psychiatrists and all that. But I ultimately found some relief in meditation. And I slowly started to learn how our mind sort of creates a reality around us and all of that. And as all these things were happening, I sort of recovered from that phase through meditation. And, through my involvement in AI and understanding the human mind, I was able to bridge the connection between how our human psychology works, our neuroscience works, and how AI interacts with it. It’s a fascinating dance we play with AI and human mind. And so, the idea is to use this bridge to solve some real big business problems that typical businesses face. [11:13]
Nancy Calabrese: Yeah. So, you said earlier that AI has been around for about two to three decades. How did it first materialize?
Manuj Aggarwal: See, the thing is that AI basically is analyzing data and recognizing patterns in that data. So, our world is a complex world. So, I’ll give you an example. So, let’s say a child, a 10-year-old child touches a hot stove. They will know that next time they shouldn’t touch it because it’s going to hurt. So, our mind has learned one data point. And it has become intelligent now that this is the wrong action to take. But let’s say that child is in the middle of Antarctica, and they are wearing heat-resistant gloves, and it’s really, chilly out there. And now they touch the stove, it will feel warm and pleasant, not hot. So now their mind is learning that, OK, even there are variations of this situation. So, if the parameters are correct, it may be a OK decision to touch the hot stove. Right? Yeah, so our mind is collecting this data and then understanding these patterns. But let’s say extrapolate that to large problems like climate change or finding cure for cancer or anything like that. There are millions and millions of parameters involved in that. [12:42]
Nancy Calabrese: Wow. Fascinating stuff.
Manuj Aggarwal: So now the human mind is not able to find these patterns in that big of a complex world, but machines can. And so, when you ask me, you know, how did it come about? Humans have been, you know, since the 1960s, as we started getting into the computer age, we started collecting data, we started analyzing patterns. And so, AI has gone through various naming, you know, names in the industry. But now we are at a point where it can simulate human intelligence. [13:21]
Nancy Calabrese: Wow. Well, what names were they?
Manuj Aggarwal: I mean, data analytics, you know, yeah, so.
Nancy Calabrese: Got it, understood. So, tell me a fun fact about you.
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah. Fun fact about me, I love to travel. I’ve been to, I can’t remember, like, maybe 20-25 countries and yeah, I love to travel and want to continue to explore the planet.
Nancy Calabrese: Lucky you, I love to travel as well. I don’t do it enough, but somebody’s got to do it, so it might as well be you, right?
Manuj Aggarwal: No, everybody should be able to do it. I mean, that’s something that I also sort of preach and teach, that whatever you want in life gives you what whatever you want out of it. So, if you want travel, you get travel. [14:15]
Nancy Calabrese: Yep, I agree. I agree. Is there something you would like me to spotlight, anything you want to talk about?
Manuj Aggarwal: Well, we are in the middle of an AI revolution. Right now, it’s just the beginning. AI is going to add about $10 trillion to the world economy by 2030. So, this is a great opportunity for small business owners to really get ahead. A lot of people I talk to, they say: “Oh, I missed the internet boom, or I missed the smartphone boom”. And now, they have a huge opportunity in front of them to ride this AI wave. And if they want to ride it, then yeah, get in touch with me. [15:04]
Nancy Calabrese: Wow. Now, you know, I think probably everybody’s heard of chat GPT, but are there other, you know, AI tools that you would recommend?
Manuj Aggarwal: I will recommend go with the big ones like chat GPT, BARD, for visuals, mid-journey. Now chat GPT-4 can also do images. But for specific things, try to, there’s going to be like a flood of AI tools in the market now. So, try to look for your specific problems, what problems you’re trying to solve. Second thing is gone with tools from reputed companies, because what will happen is there’s going to be a huge number of tools available in the marketplace. And they may be run by one guy in the basement. And if you start relying on that tool for your business, and if that tool doesn’t survive the next six months, your efforts will be wasted. So, focus on reliable companies or people who have the credibility guys, because it’s very, very early on right now. [16:15]
Nancy Calabrese: Sure, that’s good advice. So, tell me something true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Manuj Aggarwal: Well, I think I find a lot of resistance a little bit on these concepts about how technology and our human psychology overlaps. And it’s scary to a lot of people as well, but it is the reality. And it’s interesting debates I get into when I discuss this topic with people.
Nancy Calabrese: Oh, interesting. So how does it overlap though? Help me understand that.
Manuj Aggarwal: See, I mean, see AI is consuming the data that humans are producing and it is getting smarter based on what we are doing in the world, right? And then our humans’ actions are generally influenced by the information we consume. And the information we consume today is heavily produced and controlled by AI itself. [17:21]
Nancy Calabrese: Wow, it’s amazing stuff. You know, I can’t believe we’re almost up with time. What is the one takeaway you want to leave the audience with?
Manuj Aggarwal: Well, the takeaway is we are entering a huge new era of a new way of doing work. We have already experienced a few things in the past two, three years. So, you will continue to see radical changes happening in society. So, my recommendation is to stay vigilant and start investing in technology. Every company is going to be a technology company moving forward. So that is my advice. [17:58]
Nancy Calabrese: Yeah. So don’t be afraid of it. Learn it. Welcome it into your business and into your world. Is that right? Cool. How can my people find you?
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, absolutely. You can go to my website manujagarwal.com or find me on LinkedIn or just google my name. I’m easy to get hold of.
Nancy Calabrese: And well, you must spell your first name for the audience.
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, yeah, M-A-N-U-J it’s Manuj, uh, and the last name is A-G-G-A-R-W-A-L
Nancy Calabrese: Awesome. Thank you so much for spending time with me and sharing your story. I totally find this fascinating and based on your recommendations, I’m really going to welcome AI. I guess for me it’s just a little overwhelming. Do you find that people react that way in the beginning?
Manuj Aggarwal: Yeah, absolutely. You know, every radical technology that comes by is overwhelming for us. Like, I remember the first time I logged onto the internet through that noise making modem. I didn’t know like what was happening. It was so overwhelming to me. Because even when I remember the websites were so simple, like ugly websites. But still it was overwhelming to figure out, okay, what is happening? Where do I go to find information? But slowly it became the way of life and that’s how technology is. But the idea is to start embracing it. [19:35]
Nancy Calabrese: Yep, embrace it. Don’t walk away from it. Okay, folks reach out to this gentleman. He is world renowned. He’s the expert in AI. And as he’s recommending, embrace it. Don’t be afraid of it because this is going to be the future of the world. So again, Manuj, thanks for being on and for everyone out there. Make it a great AI day. We’ll see you next time. [20:03]
