Harvard selects AI entrepreneur Manish Maheshwari for Mason Fellowship

Manish Maheshwari, the co-founder of Fanory.ai, an AI monetization co-pilot for creators, has been selected for the Mason Fellowship at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The program aims to address global development challenges and is renowned for its international impact.

Starting from July 2024, he will spend two semesters at Harvard’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

What is The Mason program?

The Mason Program, Harvard University's oldest international initiative, was established over six decades ago. It aims to bring leaders from developing countries to Harvard to tackle pressing global development issues.

Named after Edward Sagendorph Mason, a former Harvard professor and dean of Harvard Kennedy School from 1947 to 1958, the program boasts an esteemed alumni network that includes influential figures such as UN’s former Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, Singapore’s newly appointed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as well as former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Nobel Peace Prize laureates President Santos of Colombia and President Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.

Alumni also include leaders across diverse fields, including NGOs, central banks, social movements, media, and entrepreneurship, highlighting the program's impact and prestige.

Who is Manish Maheshwari?

Maheshwari, formerly the head of Twitter India and CEO of Network18 Digital, brings a wealth of experience in the digital landscape.

His prior leadership roles at Flipkart and with organizations like the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) underscore his influence in India's tech sector.

At Harvard, Maheshwari will explore the strategic implementation of AI to enhance financial stability and creative freedom for content creators and knowledge workers worldwide, particularly in the GenAI era.

Reflecting on his selection, Maheshwari said, "Incredibly humbled by this honour; it reaffirms my commitment to integrating technology with societal benefits. We must approach AI development with humility and responsibility, ensuring it benefits all layers of society, especially the marginalized. In doing so, we honour the true spirit of technological advancement — not to overshadow humanity, but to uplift it, ensuring no one is left behind."

Manish Maheshwari's selection as a Mason Fellow at Harvard signifies his dedication to using technology to better society.

During his tenure, Maheshwari will concentrate on researching AI's role in empowering individuals, safeguarding the creative freedom and financial security of marginalized creators and ensuring that Fanory.ai develops to serve all types of creators, especially those who are not tech-savvy. His primary objective is to ensure that AI advancement is inclusive and responsible, benefiting all sectors of society and maintaining the essence of technological progress.

"We must approach AI development with humility and responsibility. The true spirit of technological advancement is not to overshadow humanity, but to uplift it, ensuring no one is left behind.”— Manish Maheshwari, Co-Founder, Fanory.ai.