As the race to embed AI into companies' business practices continues to resemble a 21st-Century equivalent of a gold rush, Global Drinks Intel editor Olly Wehring, secured time with Heineken's chief AI officer, Surajeet Ghosh, to learn more about his priorities in the area for the group and what the tech veteran thought of the alcohol industry when he joined from Amazon almost six years ago.What’s your background prior to your current role?My AI journey started in 2003, when I started taking university classes on the subject in the US. Back then, AI was described more as machine learning and
‘The ambition is to do AI in such a way that can make our employees more efficient’ – Heineken chief AI officer Surajeet Ghosh speaks to Global Drinks Intel – Part I
‘The pace that the technology is evolving at is just crazy.’

As the race to embed AI into companies’ business practices continues to resemble a 21st-Century equivalent of a gold rush, Global Drinks Intel editor Olly Wehring, secured time with Heineken’s chief AI officer, Surajeet Ghosh, to learn more about his priorities in the area for the group and what the tech veteran thought of the alcohol industry when he joined from Amazon almost six years ago.
Olly has been reporting on the beverage industry as a B2B journalist since 2003. He spent 18 years at Just Drinks, 16 of which as managing editor. Since joining Global Drinks Intel in 2022, he's interviewed the CEOs for brand owners including AB InBev, Campari Group, Carlsberg, Heineken and Suntory Global Spirits and has a bulging contacts book from across beverage alcohol worldwide.



