Sriram Krishnan has been appointed as the Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. This announcement was made by incoming President Donald Trump, who emphasized Krishnan’s critical role in shaping AI policy across various government sectors. Krishnan will also collaborate closely with David O. Sacks, the newly appointed “AI and cryptocurrency czar.”
Krishnan’s journey began in Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, at SRM Valliammai Engineering College, before he embarked on his career at Microsoft, where he played a pivotal role in the development of Windows Azure, including its APIs and services. He also wrote the book Programming Windows Azure for O’Reilly.
Over the years, Krishnan has held significant positions at major tech companies. He joined Facebook in 2013, where he was instrumental in scaling the company’s mobile app download ads business. Later, at Snap, he contributed to product development before moving to Twitter, where he worked until 2019. Krishnan also collaborated with Elon Musk on restructuring Twitter (now X) after Musk’s acquisition in 2022. In 2021, he became a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), focusing on emerging technologies. The following year, he led the firm’s first international office in London.
In addition to his tech career, Krishnan is an investor and advisor for the Indian fintech company Cred. He also co-hosts The Aarthi and Sriram Show, a podcast that features interviews with leading tech figures, including Elon Musk.
Krishnan has been a strong advocate for AI, writing an opinion piece for The New York Times in which he proposed solutions to balance the interests of AI companies and internet platforms. He stressed the importance of collaborative efforts over legal disputes in advancing the field.
In his new role in Washington, Krishnan will be responsible for coordinating AI policy across US government agencies and working alongside Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. His focus will be on ensuring that AI regulation and innovation are balanced, maintaining the US’s leadership in the field.
Expressing his excitement about his new role, Krishnan said, “I’m honoured to serve our country and ensure continued American leadership in AI.”