At just 16, he earns enough to pay his father Rs 2 lakh a month & has trained 5 lakh students: Who is this AI prodigy who has already met the UN chief?

At 16, most students are busy thinking about board exams, college applications and what they might want to do after Class 12. Raul John Aju, meanwhile, is running an AI startup, developing technology tools and teaching artificial intelligence to learners around the world.

The Class 12 Commerce student from Kerala has developed more than 15 AI tools, built a team of around 15 people and reportedly helped train nearly five lakh learners through his AI education initiatives. He has also found himself on international platforms, including a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

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And then there is the detail that has probably raised the most eyebrows: Raul's father works for him and reportedly receives a salary of Rs 2 lakh a month.

Who is Raul John Aju, India’s AI prodigy?

Raul is a teenager from Kerala who began exploring artificial intelligence at just nine years old.

He is currently studying Commerce in Class 12 at North Edappally GHSS while simultaneously running his technology venture. His unusual combination of school, entrepreneurship and AI education has earned him the nickname “AI Kid of India” in several reports.

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What makes his story particularly interesting is that Raul did not follow the traditional computer-science route into AI. His interest developed through self-learning and experimentation.

How Raul John Aju started learning AI at nine

Raul's interest in technology began when he was very young. His father, Aju Joseph, was working at Adobe at the time, which gave Raul access to premium technology tools.

Instead of simply using them, he began experimenting and teaching himself.

By the age of 12, Raul had created MeBot, a robot for a school science project. That early experiment eventually became the starting point for a much wider interest in building AI-based solutions.

Today, reports say he has developed more than 15 AI tools, including MeBot, RESQ AI, ZapGap, Investo AI and FeedFye.

Why does Raul pay his father Rs 2 lakh a month?

This may be the most unusual part of Raul's entrepreneurial journey. His father, Aju Joseph, has professional experience with companies including Amazon, Adobe, Wipro and IBM. Raul says that experience is something he cannot simply gain by watching videos or searching for information online.

“I can gain as much knowledge as I want from my phone, but I don't have his experience,” Raul told reporters, explaining why he brought his father into the business.

The arrangement reportedly comes with a Rs 2 lakh monthly salary for his father.

For Raul, it is less about having a parent on the payroll and more about learning from someone who has spent years working in the technology industry.

He has even joked that having his father in the company is “good for my marketing”.

Raul's startup has around 15 employees

Raul is not working on his AI projects alone. His startup has around 15 employees, with team members also working remotely from outside India, according to reports.

While continuing with school, he is also working on AI products and educational initiatives designed to make artificial intelligence easier for ordinary users to understand.

It is an unusual balancing act: Class 12 student by day, entrepreneur and AI educator by... well, apparently all day.

How ThinkCraft Academy is teaching AI to students

A major part of Raul's work is AI education. Through ThinkCraft Academy, he aims to make learning artificial intelligence more accessible to students and professionals rather than treating it as something reserved for computer science specialists.

His initiatives have reportedly reached nearly five lakh learners worldwide, including students and professionals connected with IITs, IIMs, foreign universities and corporate institutions.

The ThinkCraft approach also focuses on making AI learning more interactive and accessible through digital platforms.

What AI tools has Raul John Aju created?

Raul's projects are aimed at practical applications rather than simply demonstrating what AI can do.

One of the tools associated with his work is RESQ AI, which he has described as a platform that can provide information during emergencies and help users understand relevant laws and connect with legal assistance.

Other projects reported in connection with his work include MeBot, ZapGap, Investo AI and FeedFye.

The projects reflect his broader approach to technology: use AI to solve a problem rather than build something simply because the technology is available.

How Raul John Aju met UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Raul's work has taken him well beyond Kerala. He participated in AI-related discussions and events in New Delhi and has been involved in conversations around young people's role in the development and use of artificial intelligence.

His achievements have also brought him into contact with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, according to multiple reports.

Business Today reported that Raul participated in a United Nations-organised session on AI and children's safety at the 2026 India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, where he delivered the opening address.

For a teenager still completing Class 12, that is quite some CV.

From a school science project to an AI startup

There is a useful thread running through Raul's story. His first robot, MeBot, began as a school science project. His early exposure to AI came through access to technology tools. Instead of waiting for formal training, he experimented, learned and built things himself.

Seven years later, those experiments have turned into a business, an AI education platform and a growing portfolio of tools.

And yet, despite all that, Raul remains a school student.

What makes Raul's AI journey different?

Perhaps the most striking part of Raul's story is not his age, the number of tools he has created or even the salary he pays his father.

It is his attitude towards learning. He appears to recognise that knowing how to use technology is not the same as knowing how to build a sustainable organisation. That is why he turned to his father's professional experience.

His story also challenges the idea that AI is exclusively the domain of engineering or computer science students. Raul is studying Commerce while building a career in one of the world's fastest-moving technology fields.

What Raul John Aju's story teaches young students

Raul's journey offers a few lessons that go beyond AI. Curiosity can be a starting point. He began experimenting with technology simply because he wanted to understand it.

You do not need to know everything yourself. His decision to learn from his father's professional experience shows the value of recognising your own gaps.

Building matters as much as learning. Raul did not stop at consuming information about AI; he began creating tools and projects.

And perhaps most importantly, being young does not mean you have to wait to start creating something meaningful.

Raul John Aju is still in Class 12. But if his journey so far is anything to go by, his school graduation may turn out to be only the beginning.


Inputs from TOI