AI, and the Middle East: Nikhil Nainani’s Global Career Journey

Nikhil Nainani is currently working as a Forward Deployed Engineer at Palantir in Dubai. He earned his undergraduate degree in Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras . Prior to his current role, Nikhil worked as a Machine Learning Software Engineer at Google in Switzerland, gaining valuable international experience. Leap sat down with Nikhil to learn what it’s like to build a career as an engineer in Dubai.

Q. Tell us a bit about your background and what drew you to engineering.

I don’t really have a super fascinating response to this one! I was a pretty average student in school, but really intrigued by and reasonably okay at math. Back in school, a cousin told me about the IIT JEE(entrance exam given by high school students for engineering admissions in India) and how it’s a really challenging exam. I read up a bit more about it back then, and it seemed like an interesting challenge, so I decided to try it out. Luckily, it worked out, I got a good rank, and the rest followed. While in the university, I often wondered if I wanted to stay in engineering or pivot to other careers like management consultancy, but the ability to build stuff on your laptop sitting in your room that could potentially create value for millions of users worldwide really appealed to me, and I decided to continue being an engineer.

Q.  How did your journey take you from finance roles to AI and eventually to Palantir?

Back in the university, I really enjoyed working on Machine Learning, Graph Theory, and the applied math side of things. After graduating, I started out at an investment bank and then moved to a hedge fund. These roles were interesting because they sat right at the intersection of math and engineering, which I found appealing. While there was still a lot of ML, math, and engineering involved, I realized that at these firms, tech was more of an enabler rather than the main focus of the business. At that stage of my career, I felt it would be better for me to work somewhere where technology was the primary driver.

That led me to join a big tech company as an ML Engineer. I got to work on some really interesting problems and learned a lot, but, given the size of the company, things moved a bit slowly. I found myself wanting to operate in a faster-paced environment where I could ship more impactful and valuable work. That’s when I decided to move to Palantir. The FDE role seemed like exactly what I was looking for at that point in my career, and honestly, I haven’t regretted that decision for a single day since.

Q. What does your role as an (FDE) involve on a day-to-day basis?

There’s a lot written about this role, and it really does vary from person to person, but here’s my take: I see it as doing whatever it takes to build the most valuable product for your users. It’s a mix of applied AI engineering, full-stack development, product and project management, and even aspects of sales and customer success. I’ve been involved end-to-end—from outreach and demos, understanding customer problems and technical landscapes, scoping out projects, estimating timelines, to designing and building solutions while iterating closely with users. There are also other parts, like people management, customer enablement, and recruiting. It’s a very broad role, but that’s what makes it exciting.

Q.  What’s it like working in Dubai, especially in tech?

I’ve only been here for less than a year, and I’ve been traveling quite a bit since I moved, so I’m still getting to know the city. But overall, it’s been a great experience so far. There’s a large and very active Pan-IIT alumni community here, and I’ve had the chance to meet some of them in person. Hearing about their journeys and what they’re working on has been truly inspiring.

Q. How was the shift from Zurich to Dubai—both professionally and personally?

So far, it’s been great! Dubai is super organized and clean, with lots of activities for everyone, and being closer to home makes it much easier to visit family in India. Zurich was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we feel really lucky to have lived in both places. Professionally, both cities offer exciting opportunities, especially in AI, and being well-connected globally makes work travel much easier.

Q.  How is the AI ecosystem evolving in the Middle East? Are businesses here open to adopting it?

Honestly, I’ve been really impressed by how quickly things are moving here. Both the government and private companies seem genuinely invested in using AI to improve everyday life. You see it everywhere, from government services and e-commerce to real estate, shopping malls, and even things like managing traffic, driving tests, and parking. There’s a real push to integrate AI into all sorts of industries, and people seem quite open to experimenting with new technologies. Plus, there’s a growing number of startups and new initiatives in the region, so I think the momentum is only going to build from here.

Q. What opportunities or gaps do you see in the region when it comes to AI adoption?

There’s a lot of excitement and opportunity here right now. The region is seeing strong investments in technology and AI, and with the UAE’s position as a hub connecting APAC and EMEA, it’s naturally attracting attention from all over the world. Growing tourism and excellent global connectivity make it even more appealing for businesses and tech talent. I’ve also noticed a lot of interest from Indian investors and professionals who see the Middle East as a great place to build and scale new ideas. All these factors are coming together to create a really dynamic environment for AI innovation and adoption