A Brief History Of AI | Ram Thilak | TEDxINSEAD

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What if AI is not the beginning of a new revolution, but the latest chapter in a story humanity began 70,000 years ago? In this thought-provoking TEDx talk, the speaker explores how human intelligence has always evolved by extending itself through shared tools, stories, rituals, and technologies. From the alphabet and the printing press to libraries, the internet, and now artificial intelligence, every generation has feared that a new tool would weaken the human mind. Ram Thilak doesn’t just build AI systems, he builds the organisational conditions that make AI stick. As Head of Data, AI & Automation at Suntory Beverage & Food, he leads a global function spanning data engineering, automation, and an AI Centre of Excellence. Over a decade in applied AI across automotive, FMCG, manufacturing, and financial services, he has traced the frontlines of enterprise adoption: standing up the region’s first data science practice at Mercedes-Benz, scaling AI from zero to 50+ data scientists and 25 deployed products at Inchcape, and applying smart manufacturing AI at HP and Hyundai. A regular partner to CIOs, CEOs, and CFOs, he works closely with Singapore’s AI ecosystem to advance applied AI across the region. He holds an INSEAD EMBA and a master’s from NUS, and has been named to the INSEAD AI 50 and recognised with the Vision Award at CDO Vision Singapore 2026. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx