Chief AI Officer
Ascend
Prasad Sristi leads the AI team at Ascend as the Chief AI Officer. Prasad is passionate about his team's mission to revitalize the accounting profession through impactful AI software. Prasad brings a unique background to his current role at Ascend with a career spanning semiconductors, small business software, cloud, and AI. Prasad is an engineering graduate from IIT Bombay. He also holds an MASc in engineering from University of Victoria and an MBA from University of Toronto. He lives with his family in beautiful Vancouver, BC and enjoys skiing, motorcycle riding, and traveling.
As AI capabilities expand, firms face a critical strategic decision: build custom AI solutions tailored to their workflows, or buy from a rapidly evolving vendor ecosystem. This session will break down the trade-offs between building and buying, including cost, speed, scalability, data control, and long-term flexibility. Hear how firms are evaluating their options and developing AI strategies that align with their growth, talent, and technology roadmaps.