Executive Spotlight: Haidong Wang

With a diverse background spanning everything from start-ups to tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, BrightAI VP of Engineering, AI/ML Haidong Wang is always finding new ways to innovate with AIoT and empower frontline workers.

A Seattle native for the past 15 years, Wang joined the BrightAI team in early 2022 from Meta, where he worked with natural language processing on an AI digital assistant similar to Alexa and Siri.

Most passionate about fieldwork, he thrives in hands-on environments where he can explore the tangible value of AI with customers and help make it accessible to everyone.

Nowadays, talk of AI is everywhere—from ChatGPT to Amazon Alexa and more. What do you make of this new awareness around AI?

The current excitement surrounding AI is amazing! The technology has come a long way, especially in neural networks and deep learning that have evolved in the past 30 years. But recently, it has reached a tipping point where the applications are becoming truly limitless.

What could this mean for BrightAI?

Many AI technologies are applied to the digital world, such as ads, search engines, and recommendation systems. BrightAI, on the other hand, focuses on applying AI to the physical world.

By reducing the barriers to AI adoption, our goal is to empower frontline workers who might not be as technologically connected but stand to benefit immensely from AI. By extending our reach to traditional infrastructure sectors—the backbone of the economy—we aim to make AI accessible to everyone, revolutionize these industries, and unlock their full potential.

BrightAI can truly revolutionize these industries, but how do you convey what we can offer?

By understanding our customers inside out. We work closely with the business side, frontline workers, and development teams to grasp their unique challenges and communicate our solutions. 

It's all about showing them how it can make a real impact on their bottom-line and top-line metrics. We love to add tangible value to their operations. It's a win-win relationship.

Some people say, “AI is going to take my job away,” while others say, “I love it. This will help me.” How do you address concerns?

It's natural for people to express concerns about AI potentially replacing jobs, but in our experience, the majority of them later realize that our AI solutions actually enhance their work experience, and make it safer and more efficient. 

We are focused on creating AI co-pilots to take over tedious and repetitive tasks, enabling workers to focus on more meaningful and impactful aspects of their jobs. 

AI is always changing. Do you find engineers are always thinking of new ways to leverage it to revolutionize industries?

Absolutely! As engineers, we're always on the lookout for ways to extract reusable components from our AI solutions, like Lego blocks. We aim to build a strong foundation that serves an increasing number of customers across various verticals, revolutionizing industries one step at a time. For instance, if we're training a visual, object detection model, we consider whether the model architecture can be reused in other contexts, making our approach more efficient and adaptable for new challenges.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most? 

Fieldwork with our customers is hands-down the most rewarding part of my role. We dive into their work environments and actively participate in their day-to-day tasks. 

I remember one day in Denver, we spent more than eight hours out there, and everyone got sunburned! It was tough, but we learned so much. This hands-on approach gives us invaluable insights and a profound appreciation for the challenges they face. 

Additionally, we show them how our AI works in the field, even in its developmental stages. This bridges the gap between technology and practical implementation through time and mutual understanding.

What do you think are your best traits as a leader?

For me, empathy and personal connections with my team members come first. I think it’s all about building a bottom-up culture where everyone is intrinsically motivated. 

Understanding each team member's aspirations, strengths, and weaknesses helps me create an environment that works for everyone. Clear expectations and goalposts keep us on track and prevent us from getting lost in the details.

We have a global team working from different corners of the world. Collaborative documents and virtual stand ups keep us moving forward across all time zones. Team members answer a couple of key questions in Slack and we generate a daily report for insight into each other's status. It's amazing how much progress we make without being tied down to constant video calls. 

I also try to add a bit of a human or non-work aspect whenever we meet so that people feel that connection. It's all about creating that sense of belonging and making sure everyone feels appreciated. 

Where do you see BrightAI in five years’ time? 

I envision further expansion into more verticals and delivering killer applications that provide 10x value to customers.

We innovate for frontline workers and we’ll become the brand for that—empowering workers worldwide and driving a transformative impact across industries.

Interested in reading more from BrightAI’s thought leaders? Discover how our founders are empowering industries to leverage AIoT and unlock their full potential. To learn more or schedule an interview, email us at info@bright.ai.