'Technology's democratising potential is most admirable'

Shay Banon has been fascinated with search ever since he tried to build a recipe app for his wife in 2004, a journey that led him to write the first few lines of code of Elasticsearch (an open source search and analytics engine) in 2009 and start Elastic in 2012. The Mountain View, California-based firm is a fast-growing platform for search-powered solutions. "We help everyone-organisations, their employees, and their customers-find what they need faster, while keeping applications running smoothly, and protecting against cyber threats," said the founder & CTO at Elastic. On a recent visit to India, Banon shared his perspectives with Sudhir Chowdhary on Gen AI's economic potential and the engagement of the Indian open source community in shaping Elastic's product roadmap. Excerpts:

INTERVIEW: SHAY BANON, founder & CTO, Elastic

As an entrepreneur, where does your passion lie? 

I find technology's diverse facets fascinating. The continuous innovation, as demonstrated by generative AI (GenAI), propels us into transformative years ahead while the current complexity of artificial intelligence adds an element of mystery and excitement to the technological landscape.

Beyond AI, the evolution within technology, especially through open-source initiatives, highlights the collaborative spirit among users and developers. Engaging with developers reveals their enthusiasm for crafting tools that augment existing foundations. Additionally, my admiration for technology stems from its democratising potential, allowing people worldwide to conceive groundbreaking innovations.