KOCHI: A Class 10 student of a government vocational higher secondary school in Kochi is making waves in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) field on an international level. Such is his proficiency in AI that Raul John Aju is giving classes to students and professionals on the topic around the world.
Taking a step further in using AI for the betterment of the general public, Raul has developed an AI-powered legal assistant, ‘Nyaya Sathi’, to empower common people in India by providing instant and accessible legal information and guidance.
But how did this 14-year-old become so proficient in AI and what made him look it up in the first place? According to Raul, it all happened around three years ago. “It all started because of my YouTube channel. I love shooting videos and editing them. But I had to spend a lot of time on video editing. It took around two months to edit a video. So I started looking for technologies that could speed up the process. And the search brought me to AI and the vast possibilities its various tools presented,” he says.
As to learning AI tools and their uses, Raul took to various YouTube channels that provide information regarding the technology and read materials on it. “Once I learnt about AI, I wanted to teach it to other people too. I wanted to tell them about the vast possibilities that the technology provided. It should not be feared but be made use of,” he says.
Raul is now giving classes to people working in UK and US-based companies. “I count doctors too among my students,” says Raul. “As for the classes, it began after I spoke about AI in a Clubhouse group that my father was a part of. I made a video about AI and uploaded it on my YouTube channel. But it didn’t get views as much as I expected, maybe around 500. It was after the session on the Clubhouse app that a school principal approached me, requesting to take classes for his students. That was just the start. Soon companies began contacting me,” said Raul.
He is also teaching college-level students in India and abroad. “I teach about how AI thinks, I also go in-depth about machine learning, deep learning, neural engines, and how to fine-tune Large Language Models (LLM). I can talk about the basics and can get to the advanced functions as well,” he said.
Raul, who is a student of GVHSS, North Edapally, opted to study in a government school as he found the system much more student and learning activity-friendly. The promotion of extracurricular activities in the school helped him even develop a robot. He also gives TED talks on AI.
The Class X student has no time to spare. When he is not studying, he makes videos and takes online and offline classes. Right now, he has another project in his hands. Nyay Sathi, which simplifies complex legal concepts, helps users understand their rights and obligations under Indian law, including recent changes from the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The student’s ambition is to connect Nyaya Sathi with all police stations in the country. “The AI bot is very helpful for the common people. It can draft legal documents like non-disclosure affidavits and offer tailored advice based on various legal scenarios. By bridging the gap between legal expertise and public understanding, Nyaya Sathi aims to enhance legal awareness and access to justice for all,” said Raul.
