Nikhil Deshpande is the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer for the Georgia Technology Authority, where he leads the Office of Digital Services and the Office of Artificial Intelligence, overseeing Georgia’s enterprise AI strategy.

He established the state’s AI program and launched the Horizons Innovation Lab to responsibly pilot and scale emerging technologies across agencies. Under his leadership, Georgia implemented enterprise Drupal statewide and advanced digital accessibility standards to WCAG 2.1 AA.

Previously, Nikhil worked in digital media and served as adjunct faculty at the Savannah College of Art and Design, teaching Human Computer Interaction and User Experience courses. He serves on the board of the Drupal Association and was named one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40. He holds master’s degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and SCAD.

Connect with Nikhil on Twitter or LinkedIn @nikofthehill

Get to Know Nikhil

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?
I led the digital transformation of Georgia's enterprise web platform to a secure open source system adhering to the state's accessibility standards. This resulted in serving structured content efficiently to all users with limited abilities and also to search engines and voice assistants.

What does your mother think you do?
Tech support.

What is your favorite song?
Pick any song by Queen, but start with “I Want To Break Free.”

Favorite project you’ve worked on?
Can I have two? 

We designed a visual identity system for the state brand. It was exciting to work with IDEO, a world leader in design thinking. We spoke with Georgians across the state and synthesized those conversations in a visual brand and a design system that powers our web content management system. This created a cohesive user experience for our end users and a visual identity that Georgians can relate to. 

When voice assistant technology was new, we partnered with Acquia Labs to design and develop an Alexa skill that connected to the content on the Georgia.gov website and delivered voice responses to people. We gained a lot of insight on how we should structure content for voice interactions.

What is your favorite quote?
"Every time you say ‘Yes’ to something, you are saying ‘No’ to something else."

If you had 25 hours in a day how would you use your extra time?
Sleep.

What part of your job do you like the most?
I get to define, understand, and solve problems within civic tech that have a positive impact. I enjoy speaking with business owners to understand their core struggles and motivations. I get to work with some of the brightest minds and industry leaders to build digital assets that benefit Georgian's lives.

What is one technological innovation you find most useful?
GPS and smartphones. I'd literally be lost without either.

What website do you visit often?
Google, of course.

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