Where AI Meets the Physical World with Quest Global’s Head of HiTech Tinku Malayil Jose

Tinku Malayil Jose, Head of the Vertical Technology Office for HiTech at Quest Global, has more than 20 years of experience building complex products, from smart TVs and streaming platforms to automotive systems and IoT. Tinku operates at the intersection of silicon, software, and real-world application. We asked him to break down the shift from AI hype to reality, explaining why the future of AI isn’t just software, it’s embedded in physical products, devices, and systems. He shares what’s driving the rise of “AI appliances” and why purpose-built, domain-specific solutions are increasingly outperforming general-purpose approaches. The conversation explores what it truly takes to productize AI, from engineering challenges and organizational hurdles to the evolving role of the “engineer of the future.” Why do so many companies get stuck in pilots, what separates those that successfully scale AI, and how innovation changes when intelligence moves from the cloud to the edge. Whether you’re leading innovation inside a large enterprise or building the next generation of intelligent products, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at how AI is actually being deployed, and where the biggest opportunities lie as it moves into the physical world.