Today’s post is about Akhil Raj, a software engineer on the robotics team. We first met Akhil in Season 2 DeepMind: Podcastbut we wanted to get to know him better and learn more about his path to DeepMind.
What sparked your interest in artificial intelligence (AI)?
When I was adolescent, I thought about AI the same way I thought about magic. Yes, I wanted to hang out with R2-D2 and Optimus Prime – but I also wanted to go to Hogwarts. That was until I turned 12 and started entering LEGO robotics competitions. At that point, I learned that robots weren’t fantasy or something that could only exist in the distant future, but rather something that could be created in the present. It also turns out that playing with robots is incredibly fun.
What happened next?
A lot! From there I continued with robotics competitions, went to MIT and spent a lot of time studying computer science with a focus on robotics. After graduating I completely left the field and joined a startup in San Francisco for a few years before moving to Google.
It was great, but I always wanted to live abroad, so I started looking for opportunities outside the US. At that point I decided to move to London and head towards DeepMind. I didn’t really think DeepMind hired people without a PhD, but I tried it and it worked!
Since I was moving from Google to DeepMind, I had the opportunity to apply to multiple teams at once. The robotics team wasn’t on my radar until my recruiter asked me, “Oh, by the way, you have some robotics on your resume. Have you thought about joining our robotics team?” I jumped at the chance. And honestly, it’s been amazing ever since.
Can you tell us about a typical day? What does your schedule look like?
Every morning I head to the office for breakfast, where my teammates are undoubtedly already there. Having breakfast together before going to work has become part of our daily routine.
I spend most mornings in the robotics lab, fixing bugs from previous experiments or setting up novel robots. Even when there’s not much to do, I get energy just from walking around and watching our robots at work, hearing the hum of the machines and engines. We’ve grown a lot in the last few years, and you can feel it when you walk around our space.
My afternoons are a mix of meetings, coding, and – now that most people are back in the office – an impromptu chat or two. This is one of my favorite parts of working in an office – the random meetings and whiteboarding sessions that facilitate me learn and move quickly. From there, I take a quick snack break, and if the weather is nice, I head out to the balcony to catch up on some of my favorite American sports podcasts (I haven’t switched from football to football). Then I’ll code some more.
What is it like working behind the scenes at DeepMind?
The culture at DeepMind is one of the best parts of being here. From my perspective, we found a good balance between university, startup, and enormous company. Most of the work culture comes from the first two.
It’s not uncommon to see people brainstorming in front of whiteboards with math numbers scribbled on them, or someone tucked away in a tranquil corner reading the latest research papers. Much like a start-up, there’s a palpable energy everywhere – you can really feel everyone’s excitement.
It may be a cliché, but when you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. The robotics team is a miniature version of all that, except many of us are close friends outside of work. It’s perfect.
What was it like working from home during the pandemic?
Like most people, I spent the first month of the pandemic in disbelief, assuming that we would soon return to normal. Most of our meetings and collaborations moved online, which was an fascinating experience, especially for our team.
Once I realized we were in this for the long haul, I decided to utilize my newfound free time to improve myself. I tried a bunch of hobbies—long enough to say I tried, but never long enough for anything to stick. I had a guitar phase, a cooking phase, and even a puzzle phase, but my favorite was the tie-dye phase. I spent a few weeks dyeing everything from shirts to shorts to socks, and now they’re sitting in the back of my closet (where they honestly belong).
What positive impact do you think AI can have on the world?
I feel fortunate to be at DeepMind and to be able to focus on the work I do. Robotics—and AI in general—will be a positive force in the world, and it’s stimulating to be able to facilitate advance that.
In general, I’m particularly interested in how AI can facilitate mitigate climate change—whether that’s finding ways to utilize energy more efficiently or enabling us to produce spotless energy. Scientists at DeepMind are already thinking about this, so I hope we can move the world forward and make an impact in this space.
Any tips for aspiring DeepMinders? Or for someone looking to get into a similar role?
If you want to be at DeepMind, go for it. Apply, interview, and just try. You might not get the job the first time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try again. I didn’t think I’d get the job at DeepMind, and when I got the offer, my first thought was – this is definitely a mistake! Everyone doubts themselves – I never felt like the smartest person in the room. I often felt the opposite. But I learned that despite those feelings, I belonged and deserved to work at a place like that. And that journey, for me, started with trying.
Learn more about robotics at DeepMind and search for open positions today