New Delhi: Raul John Aju has an unusual answer to one of the most dreaded questions teens are asked after school: what next? The 16-year-old is already running an artificial intelligence company while finishing up Class 12, majoring in the commerce stream.
He is now being hailed as the “AI kid of India”, having built a reputation developing AI tools, training people in technology, and turning a childhood fascination into a full-fledged career before he is old enough to vote. However, beyond tech press, he is making news for an unusual family business arrangement. Raul’s father works for him, drawing a salary of Rs 2 lakh (roughly $2,400) per month.
This unconventional reversal of the family hierarchy has stunned many, but it is not an unqualified, nepotistic arrangement. Raul’s father brings real experience and tech weight to what is now being called the family business. Having worked for Amazon, Adobe, Wipro and IBM, Raul’s father is both his employee and mentor. He is not just a parent on a payroll.
Raul’s interest in technology first took root at the age of nine, when he started with video editing and slowly ventured into AI. One of his earliest projects, the Mebot—a robot built to interact and speak in his own voice—began as a school science assignment, before morphing into something closer to a concept. He studied grades 11 and 12 while simultaneously building something durable with AI.
Practical stakes
On LinkedIn, Raul now describes himself as founder and CTO of AIRealm Technologies, where he is credited with building around 15 AI tools and training close to 5 lakh people in the technology.
Some of his work, however, has practical stakes attached. JustEase, an AI-based initiative built in collaboration with the Kerala government, helps people access information during emergencies. Another project, Rescue AI, helps users access legal information and guidance.
His work has taken him across the globe and to bigger stages. Earlier this year, Raul attended the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, where he spoke with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the role young people are playing in shaping the AI era. He also appeared on the Manorama News Conclave held in Kochi this year, where he spoke about Gen Z’s unfiltered access to the internet and his generation’s willingness to confront and question established norms.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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