At the recent AI summit in India, Raúl said UN News what drives your passion for technology and why we should fully embrace it.
Largely self-taught, Raúl built his first robot at the age of 12 and has developed more than 10 artificial intelligence tools. He has advised the governments of Kerala and Dubai on integrating AI into public services and is the founder of AI Realm Technologies.
Raúl’s achievements have led to speaking engagements at major technology companies and invitations to international conferences, such as last week’s India AI Summit 2026 in New Delhi, where he met Amandeep Gill, the UN Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, as well as the UN. Secretary General António Guterres.
After a meeting organized by the UN discussion panel on AI and Child Safety, where he gave the keynote speech, Raúl sat down with UN News’ Anshu Sharma to talk about his business journey, his hopes for the future, and how young people should better engage with AI.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
UN News: Why did you become interested in technology?
Raúl John Aju: I discovered technology through video editing. When my father got a job at Adobe, I got free access to all the premium tools and was able to learn about AI. After that I created my robot. [known as MeBot, built for a school science project].
“AI Kid of India” Raul John Aju with UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies Amandeep Singh Gill after an ODET breakout session at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in India.
UN News: How did you come to start your own company?
Raúl John Aju: The main reason was that I wanted all the tools I had created to be under one brand. I also wanted to create a payment system to make people’s lives easier, so they can use a QR code to pay for things, if they don’t have a credit or debit card.
UN News: Tell me about some of your innovations in AI.
Raúl John Aju: One of them is the Rescue AI tool. The idea is that if you are involved in an emergency situation, the tool will tell you what to do and what laws apply. It will connect you with a lawyer and also help you devise a strategy to win the case by analyzing thousands of similar cases.
Another project is ThinkCraft Academy, where you can go from learning about AI to creating your own tools to use in daily life. The courses are free and more than seven million people have been able to learn from them.
UN News: Your decision to hire your own father attracted a lot of attention. What was the thinking behind that?
Raúl John Aju: I can get all the knowledge I want from my phone, but I don’t have your experience. He has worked for companies like Amazon, Adobe, Wipro and IBM, so I can learn from him. Plus, to be honest, it was good for my marketing!
UN News: You have taught many students. How has that experience been?
Raúl John Aju: I tell them that I want everyone to start using AI but at the same time don’t forget the human being inside them. I always say that the most important skill in the world of AI is to be as human as possible.
Raúl John Aju at a TEDx event.
UN News: Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I want to have enough money to be able to get whatever I want for my parents or myself. At the same time, I want my tools to make people’s daily lives easier. I also want to spend time in the West and continue learning.
UN News: How would you summarize your journey so far?
Raúl John Aju: I guess I would say two things. First of all, be humble or the world will humble you. Secondly, follow your passion, not money, because if you follow your passion, money will come automatically.
