GEC NEWS WIRERaghu Chakravarthi, EVP of Engineering and GM Americas at Core42, shares insights into the vital role of engineering in Core42’s expansion and highlights the innovations.
Core42 has seen significant growth since its launch. What role has engineering played in supporting this expansion, and what innovations are you most proud of?
Engineering has been at the heart of Core42’s expansion, driving the development of innovative solutions tailored to our client’s evolving needs. Our engineering teams have played a pivotal role in designing and building scalable AI and cloud infrastructure that can adapt to diverse industries.
One of the innovations I’m most proud of is our Compass suite, a powerful cloud-based AI tools that delivers real-time, actionable insights to improve decision-making and operational efficiency across industries. Its seamless integration, scalability, and ability to process vast data sets in real time empower businesses to optimize their operations.
Our Compass API platform leverages Azure Open AI GPT and the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) to execute language-related tasks and generate responses and predictions based on natural language input. In July, we launched Compass 2.0, which integrates Qualcomm’s Cloud AI 100 Ultra inference accelerators for pre-trained models, offering containerized and scalable solutions. More recently, we introduced the Compass Chat for enterprise further enhancing our capabilities. We’ve also pioneered advanced AI compute systems, accelerating machine learning deployments in sectors like healthcare and energy, contributing national priorities.
As VP of Engineering, how do you prioritize innovation while maintaining the reliability and scalability of Core42’s technology platform?
Striking the right balance between innovation and reliability is key to our success. We maintain a dual focus: pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI and cloud technology while ensuring our infrastructure is robust and resilient. We prioritize innovation through a structured R&D process, where we pilot new products and solutions in controlled environments before scaling them across our platform. At the same time, we use advanced monitoring and automation tools to ensure our systems remain highly reliable, even as we scale. This balance allows us to introduce advanced features without compromising the stability of our core infrastructure.
The tech landscape is constantly evolving. How does Core42 stay ahead of industry trends, and what emerging technologies are you most excited about implementing?
We continuously invest in research, collaborate with leading academic institutions, and engage with global tech communities to remain at the forefront of innovation.
There are several major industry trends that are poised to reshape the technology landscape in the coming years. One of the most significant is the continued acceleration of AI adoption and its integration into various sectors. We are particularly excited about AI-driven advancements in areas such as generative AI, agentic AI, development of multimodal models, and accessibility, leading to more intelligent and autonomous systems. Another key trend that we are particularly interested in is data privacy and security. As organizations collect and store vast amounts of data, the need for robust data protection measures and compliance with evolving regulations around data sovereignty will grow.
Lastly, the rising energy demands driven by technology will increasingly become a critical consideration. Understanding these growing concerns, we prioritize the use of clean energy across our operations, focusing on reducing the carbon footprint of data centers we use, and the digital infrastructure we deploy. To ensure transparency and traceability in our energy usage, Core42 also participates in the Energy International Recognized Energy Certificates (EI-REC) program. This initiative certifies that the energy powering our data centers is derived from clean, renewable sources, aligning our efforts with global sustainability practices.
At Core42, we monitor these trends closely, developing solutions that not only meet today’s demands but also anticipate future needs. Our aim is to empower clients to successfully navigate the evolving tech landscape.
Can you share some of the biggest challenges your engineering team faces at Core42 and how you’re addressing them to drive continued success?
One of our biggest challenges is managing the scale and complexity of the AI models we’re deploying, especially as the demand for real-time processing increases. To address this, we’ve invested in building a high-performance, distributed computing infrastructure that can handle large-scale workloads efficiently.
Another challenge is attracting and retaining top engineering talent in such a competitive market. We’ve fostered a culture of innovation and learning at Core42, where engineers are encouraged to explore new technologies and contribute to meaningful projects that have a real-world impact. This has helped us build a strong, motivated team capable of driving continued success.
Data security and privacy are critical. How is Core42 addressing and ensuring safety for its customers?
As AI and cloud technologies become integral to society, concerns around data privacy and sovereignty continue to rise. At Core42, we’re addressing these challenges by providing robust digital platforms designed to meet the strictest privacy and security standards, allowing our clients to innovate and compete globally without compromising on sensitive data.
Our Core42 Sovereign Public Cloud offering leveraging Microsoft Azure is specifically designed to protect data within national borders, adhering to stringent local regulations. This enables governments and regulated industries to navigate the complexities of data sovereignty and regulatory compliance while benefiting from the public cloud’s scalability and innovation.
With sovereign control sets, comprehensive audit and assurance capabilities, and streamlined compliance management, Core42’s Sovereign Public Cloud enables organizations to secure sensitive data. This allows them to harness the power of hyperscale cloud infrastructure without sacrificing security or sovereignty.
For customers with more stringent needs, such as hosting secret or top-secret workloads, our Core42 Signature Private Cloud provides an additional layer of isolation and control, ensuring complete data security.
Looking ahead, what are your key priorities for the engineering department at Core42, and how do you see the team contributing to the UAE’s overall strategic digitization vision?
Our focus will be to expand our AI and cloud services on both a regional and global scale. We will continue to focus on leveraging our core strengths and building on the achievements of our first year to deploy next generation digital infrastructure and enable national-scale AI transformation to help the public sector and regulated industries excel in developing breakthroughs across various domains.
