Bhavesh Patel has always been a fan of science fiction — particularly Star Trek. Even as a young boy, he found the series’ optimism and humanism inspiring, and its stories of intergalactic space exploration exhilarating. Its futuristic technologies, from communication devices to warp speed propulsion, opened his mind to think beyond what we believe is possible.
Bhavesh recalls reading a library book in grade school about Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. It was then he knew that he wanted a career in aerospace technology. “I never wanted to be a doctor or an architect or an electrical engineer,” Bhavesh says. “My parents told me, ‘Pursue your passion.’ I never veered from aerospace.”
This spirit of discovery led Bhavesh to earn a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT (where he would eventually meet his boyhood idol, Commander Armstrong) and later, an MBA from Harvard Business School. He built his career in technology, with a special interest in space exploration and software. In 2023, he joined aerospace company Blue Origin to help build something bigger than himself.
Bhavesh believes Blue Origin’s commitment to “building a road to space so our children can build the future” is integral to preserving the Earth and ensuring humanity’s long-term survival. He’d been following developments in artificial intelligence (AI) for years and wanted to learn more about how these emerging technologies could enable his organization’s mission.
“AI has reached that critical point where it’s no longer an idea: It’s a huge explosion of adoption,” he says. “At Blue Origin, our vision is to use AI to significantly scale the business and lower the cost of access to space.”
Bhavesh was looking to gain a high-level view of AI and machine learning, along with use cases from different industries. He also wanted to learn in an environment of research, discovery, and innovation. This led him to Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education.
Exploring AI with Other Industry Leaders
Bhavesh was drawn to Stanford for its leading-edge work to advance AI research, education, policy, and practice. He enrolled in the one-week, in-person Harnessing AI for Breakthrough Innovation and Strategic Impact program, which features Stanford faculty from Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), School of Engineering, Law School, Medical School, and School of Humanities and Sciences. Without getting overly technical, the program offers a comprehensive view of the power, potential, and risks of AI so leaders can make more informed and strategic decisions for their organizations.
“The curriculum and what Stanford is doing in the field of AI are fascinating,” says Bhavesh, who welcomed the opportunity to learn from all the Stanford faculty, including program co-director Mykel Kochenderfer, associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics.
“It was a fantastic experience being on campus all week,” Bhavesh says. “I enjoyed the intellectual stimulus again. And I liked the small-class environment that Stanford GSB is known for, which makes the learning more engaging.”
For Bhavesh, highlights included a group challenge to devise a real-world application for AI, and the opportunity to learn with other industry leaders looking for new possibilities using AI technologies. “The cadre of students was fantastic. People from all over the world, different industries, different backgrounds,” he says. “There was a diversity of opinion and thought that was very, very stimulating.”
Discovering the Potential of AI to Fuel Growth
Bhavesh is applying his newfound understanding of AI to strategize ways to streamline Blue Origins’ operations. “The program helped me connect the dots,” Bhavesh says. “We have a number of AI initiatives. When I completed the course, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, here’s what we can do. Here’s what we cannot do.’ We’ve had some very good discussions in our teams.”
He sees a number of potential applications for AI to accelerate the aerospace industry. “Today, AI is improving the scale and rate of manufacturing and productivity in general,” he notes. “In the future, it could be used in designing and delivering new products that leverage AI, such as smart agents and smart spacecraft, all that kind of stuff.”
As a leader, Bhavesh is now ready for the challenges and opportunities waiting to be discovered. “I’m looking forward to working with the team and being part of those AI initiatives.”
To other leaders looking to learn more about AI, Bhavesh offers this advice: “If you’re interested from a technology standpoint, a business standpoint, or the intersection of the two, this program is perfect for you. It’s not for an engineer who wants to learn how to code in AI. It’s for those who want to connect the dots.” For Bhavesh, connecting the dots is a critical part of his journey to help Blue Origin reach for the stars.
