Arun Batchu

I've spent over 30 years building, leading, and advising on technology at every level. Most recently, I served as VP Analyst at Gartner, helping software engineering leaders navigate AI, development practices, and organizational change. Before that, as VP of Advanced Technologies at UnitedHealth Group, I established R&D centers that incubated business innovations including applied AI. At Best Buy, I served as Director of Technology, driving digital product management and technology strategy.

Before these leadership roles, I accumulated a wealth of practical problem-solving skills through consulting engagements across diverse industries. I've also shared this knowledge as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, where students praised my real-world approach and investment in their success.

Today, I build and operate shilpiworks.com — an AI-powered creative commerce platform where 16+ autonomous agents generate, validate, price, and publish stickers, bookmarks, and laser-cut art on cron schedules. The system uses multi-model AI pipelines (Gemini + GPT-Image-1), decision-trace capture, OCR validation, and outcome linking. It's a living laboratory for the same AI agent patterns I advise clients on. My academic foundation includes degrees in Computer Engineering and Software Engineering, complemented by a Nanodegree in Generative AI.

One area where this experience converges is healthcare consumer experience. I've worked closely with CX teams to translate patient and member experience goals into workable systems, workflows, and measurable outcomes. That means bridging the gap between what consumers expect, what operations can sustain, and what enterprise technology actually allows — whether the work involves improving digital journeys, applying AI to service delivery, or turning customer insight into action that holds up under real-world constraints.

is the next chapter — a focused, independent useful-knowledge network built to help SMBs navigate technology. I'm the founding member, and the vision is to grow as a talent-dense network of experts who turn insight into decisions, experiments, and operating changes. The gap between "knowing about" technology and "knowing how to use it" is where most value is lost. exists to close that gap for ambitious businesses who don't have the luxury of large innovation teams or unlimited budgets. shilpiworks is the proof that this knowledge is operating-grade, not theoretical.

How others describe their work

• Recognized for turning complex technology into clear, practical guidance for leaders.
• Known for seamlessly navigating from tactical details to strategic vision — "from 3 ft to 30,000 ft and back again."
• Praised for breaking silos and connecting Sales, Research, and Consulting into a unified whole.
• Described as an original, out-of-the-box thinker who challenges assumptions and asks "why not?"
• Valued for genuine care, mentorship, and leaving a lasting DNA in the teams and people worked with.