Patrick Leung’s journey into the world of artificial intelligence began at Google in 2007, when he joined the company as a manager on the Google Checkout team.
Leung, who had previously run his own SaaS company, had always been drawn to transformative technology. He was immediately amazed by the revolutionary atmosphere at Google, a place where it felt like anything was possible.
But it was not until he saw an early demo of Google’s AI assistant, Duplex, that he truly understood the future of technology.
“I was blown away,” Leung recalls to Business Insider. “The way this AI could interact on the phone, book restaurant reservations, and have a natural conversation was mind-blowing.
It reminded me of Her, the movie, it felt like we were witnessing something revolutionary,” he explained to Business Insider.
At that moment, Leung knew he had to be part of the project. Google Duplex, initially called Blue Ginger, was an AI system designed to make phone calls for users, performing everyday tasks like booking appointments or making reservations with a voice so natural it was often indistinguishable from a human. It was groundbreaking, and Leung wanted in.
The secret of breaking into AI
Leung faced a steep learning curve when he transitioned to the Duplex team. Although he had experience working in software development and had been exposed to machine learning, he was far from an AI expert.
To succeed, he had to quickly adapt to the fast-moving world of AI and machine learning.
“I had to retool myself,” he admits to Business Insider. “Even though I had some experience with AI concepts, I was working with a team that was actively building models. I had to learn the ins and outs of how these systems worked on the fly.”
But Leung’s path to success was not just about acquiring technical skills. It was his real-world experience that made the difference.
“The most important thing for anyone wanting to break into AI is to apply it to real-world problems,” he told Business Insider.
“Start building something tangible. Even if you are not in a tech role, find a way to use AI to solve real business challenges. It could be anything, from personalising emails to analysing customer data.”
Leung points out that the barrier to entering the AI field has never been lower. With accessible tools like large language models (LLMs), even people without a coding background can make an impact.
“You don’t need to be a machine learning expert to start making things happen. The key is to get hands-on experience and build something you can show for it.”
Today, as the CTO of a company using AI to improve clinical drug trials, Leung believes that AI’s potential is still vast.
But the lesson that has stayed with him is clear: real-world application is the secret ingredient for anyone wanting to break into or succeed in the AI field.
“AI is changing everything, and if you can show that you understand how to make it work for real problems, you’ll find opportunities,” he told Business Insider. “The best way to get started is to dive in and start applying it, whether in your job or through personal projects.”