AIQ TALKS: Leander Paes, Olympic medallist and 18-time Grand Slam doubles champion and Mayank, Founder & CEO, ADROSONIC
Leander Paes won Olympic bronze at Atlanta 1996 after years of preparation, entering the tournament as an underdog. His career spanned an era in which sport moved from instinct-led preparation to increasingly data-driven performance. Yet, as he explains in this episode of TOI AIQ Talks, technology alone cannot account for what it takes to succeed.
In conversation with Mayank, Paes explores the relationship between AI, human capability and sustained performance, drawing lessons from elite sport that extend to business, leadership and India’s next generation.
Preparation Creates the Advantage
Paes spent four years preparing for the playing conditions at Atlanta, including training at altitude to improve his performance in lower-oxygen environments. His Olympic result was built on years of work by him, his coaches and his family, not a single moment of inspiration.
The lesson for organisations is similar: results depend on the preparation, expertise and systems behind a decision, not simply the tools available when it must be made.
AI Needs Context to Deliver Value
Paes is clear about the relationship between technology and human capability: “I feel that every artificial intelligence needs human intelligence to code it.”
AI can process information and reveal patterns, but its effectiveness depends on how people frame problems, interpret results and apply them in context. For businesses adopting AI, this means moving beyond experimentation to integrating technology into decisions and workflows where it can produce measurable value.
Consistency Outlasts a Single Win
Reflecting on the demands of elite sport, Paes says, “Success is about consistency. Success is about getting the body, mind, and soul together every single day.”
His account of overcoming setbacks, recalibrating strategy during matches and continuing to learn offers a wider lesson for professionals: performance is built through repeated effort and the ability to adapt when circumstances change.
For India, Paes connects that philosophy to a larger ambition: using technology to expand opportunity, develop talent and empower young people. The challenge is not simply to build smarter systems, but to use them to strengthen human capability.
About AIQ Talks
AIQ Talks, The Times of India’s thought leadership series, brings business and industry leaders together to examine AI’s impact across sectors. ADROSONIC participates as Knowledge Partner, with Mayank, Founder & CEO, leading conversations on technology, business and India’s evolving AI landscape.
Watch the full conversation to hear Leander Paes on winning, resilience and the future of human potential.
