NIKITA SAXENA: BE FEARLESS AND TAKE ACTION!

Nikita, if you had to briefly introduce yourself in a way that immediately shows you are a high-level professional, what would you say?
I’m currently based in San Francisco, where I work for Google DeepMind. I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of AI research, even during my undergraduate studies, which has been one of the main reasons I’ve been able to get to where I am today. I have experience working on AI for scientific applications, specifically in physics and biology. Recently, I’ve been working on large language models and image understanding. One of the reasons I consider myself a professional is my diverse experience. I’ve worked not only with AI language, but also with visual tasks and science. The second is the community I had access to. It’s not just about self-learning but it’s about learning from the people around you. This has been great at doing my undergraduate, my internships and doing obviously, at DeepMind at the moment.

By the way, could you tell us more about your role at Google DeepMind. What exactly do you work on?
I’m a research engineer and I’m working on Gemini, specifically on image understanding. I run experiments to understand what exactly the model is not able to do at the moment, and I look for ways to improve the model’s specific capabilities – through data, evaluation, and training strategies.

But Gemini doesn’t create images…
There is a version in the API (Application Programming Interface) that can generate images. Just switch the model version, actually.

What advice or life hacks would you share with those who are just starting their journey – not only in IT but in any other field, for those who are currently studying at high school?
It’s very important to build strong connections with people in both industry and academic science. Don’t be afraid of rejection, reach out to people, share your ideas and get feedback. The best way to learn is by having your ideas challenged and being put to the test. Second – remain motivated and open-minded. Don’t get blinded by what is trending right now because trends change every few months. Get fundamental knowledge and apply those fundamentals to projects. It’s quite simple – gather friends, start a project, and reach out to a professor in your lab or even in another country. Most importantly, be fearless and take action.

What are the most important trends in IT today?
The first is the data itself, because having access to very diverse data that covers different aspects of human life is the foundation for any model. The second is compute. To process large volumes of data, you need efficient models and powerful machines to run them. The third trend is analytical reasoning, since we want IT applications not just to do a way fixed but to understand when and why to do a particular thing. And the fourth is the development of benchmarks and standards that can help us understand what was the best performing thing in 2025, and what do you want to excel in 2026.

Nikita, what are your plans for the next couple of years?
I really like where I am at the moment. I want to grow within the company, and learn from colleagues I see as role models. At DeepMind, I have met many inspiring people. I aspire to be like them in research approaches and project execution. In the future, I plan to focus on ethical AI, and to implement within the Gemini landscape such limitations that will enable models only serve humanity for good. I hope I’ll succeed.

Is your motto to keep learning all the time?
Yes, I really enjoy it.

Nikita Saxena led sessions on Large Language Models (LLMs) as part of the academic curriculum of the annual Yessenov Data Lab 2025 Summer School for data analysts, held by the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation in partnership with AlmaU since 2018. Over this period, 114 young Kazakhstani participants acquired data analytics skills through the school’s program.