Interview with Bill Faruki, Founder & CEO of MindHYVE.ai and DV8Infosystems: ‘MindHYVE was built on the principle of equalization’

Bill Faruki is a visionary Pakistani American entrepreneur and pioneer in Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and agentic AI. With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, and strategic transformation, he is the Founder and CEO of MindHYVE.ai—a $1.7 billion company redefining how intelligent systems serve society.

A trailblazer in swarm intelligence and autonomous agentic systems, Bill’s innovations are driving scalable, ethical AI solutions in healthcare, education, and legal tech. He is also a vocal advocate for responsible AI and inclusive economic growth, aiming to empower individuals through equal access to transformative technology.

Following are the edited excerpts of a recent conversation BR Research had with him:

BR Research: Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to found MindHYVE?

Bill Faruki: I’m a Pakistani American, born and raised in Karachi. I moved to the United States in 1991, and while I had a few corporate stints, I’ve been an entrepreneur most of my life, particularly in financial technology. Around four years ago, I shifted toward broader software domains, and about two and a half years ago, I founded MindHYVE AI. Initially, it started as an internal research lab called Hive Labs, where we explored different types of AI models. Today, MindHYVE is a $1.7 billion company with offices in California and Lahore, building a unique kind of AI.

BRR: What exactly does MindHYVE do, and how does it tie into nation-building in Pakistan?

BF: MindHYVE was built on the principle of equalization. We believe that with the right ethical deployment of AI, we can equalize access to healthcare, education, legal services, and more. In Pakistan, quality services are often restricted to urban and affluent areas. Our AI can deliver world-class services at scale and at low cost, even to the most remote areas. That’s what I mean by nation-building—empowering every citizen through access to critical services.

BRR: You mentioned plans to seed over 30 AI startups and create thousands of jobs. How does that support your equalization strategy?

BF: Equalization isn’t just about services; it’s also about economic opportunity. While hiring 5,000 people won’t move the national employment needle on its own, it sets a precedent. If our company can achieve 10x productivity through AI, others can too. We want to inspire the private sector to use AI to grow and hire. As for startups, I plan to provide capital, technical support, and mentorship to entrepreneurs so they can commercialize AI the right way—learning how to build, position, and sell products like we do in the U.S.

BRR: Do you see enough talent in Pakistan to support this vision?

BF: Absolutely. I’ve hired thousands of people in my career, and I look for what I call the X-factor: ethical, hardworking individuals with a hunger to grow. Pakistan is full of such people. Even with a broken education system, many Pakistanis have become self-taught, literate, and creative. With access to AI and training, we could have 20, 30, or even 40 million highly educated individuals. The raw talent is here.

BRR: You’re also working with organizations like IDC and Al-Khidmat Foundation. What do those partnerships look like?

BF: With the Islamabad Diagnostic Center (IDC), we’re integrating AI into radiology and pathology, starting at their Markaz Lab and scaling to 150 labs. Our AI will assist radiologists and pathologists in making faster and more accurate diagnoses. This dramatically increases their capacity and precision. We’re also embedding AI into their information systems to automate diagnostics. The same technology will be rolled out to Al-Khidmat’s 56 hospitals and medical universities like Dow, GIK, and King Edward, where students will learn AI usage from the ground up. In parallel, our Arthur AI rollout with Al-Khidmat will eventually benefit over 2 million Pakistanis through advanced AI-powered vocational training programs.

BRR: You often talk about agentic intelligence. How is that different from traditional AI models?

BF: Traditional AI focuses on large language models (LLMs), which generate text or answer questions. We build large reasoning models, which solve problems. Our agents—or digital employees like the digital doctor or lawyer—sit on top of these models. These agents can perform complex, multi-step tasks autonomously, with deep domain understanding. That’s what makes our AI truly transformative. We were doing this before it became a trend.

BRR: Tell us about your collaboration with Airlink on smart hubs and TVs. What should users expect?

BF: We’re building smart devices with Airlink to democratize access to education and healthcare. These tablets and TVs can run offline and be deployed in rural areas. A smart TV in a home could include a digital assistant that helps with nutrition, health, schedules, and even prayer times. Because our AI is self-learning and adaptive, it will understand and respond to each household’s needs. This brings the power of AI directly into people’s homes.

BRR: You recently proposed an AI-driven tax compliance system to the Prime Minister. What was the reception?

BF: During a meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif and other tech leaders, I proposed using AI to address the estimated PKR 700 billion in annual tax evasion. AI could provide scalable, cost-effective enforcement. The idea was well received, though I haven’t had a follow-up yet due to the current political situation. But I’m hopeful this conversation continues.

BRR: You’ve announced a $22 million investment in Pakistan’s AI ecosystem. Is this committed capital?

BF: Yes, but not in one lump sum. This investment will be rolled out in phases as we build out verticals in healthcare, education, and legal tech. We start with strategic plans, hire core teams, and scale as KPIs are met. Once operations show results, we push more money in. This investment is just the beginning; it will unlock revenues from other markets and bring them back to Pakistan, potentially multiplying these many times over.

BRR: Given all this, how do you view Pakistan’s broader investment climate?

BF: Pakistan doesn’t have a good global salesperson right now. Many investors simply don’t understand the country. Every nation has problems—look at U.S. history. What we lack is structured risk communication and literacy. We need to explain our opportunities and risks clearly, in the language investors understand, and provide digital ambassadors or AI agents who can represent Pakistan globally. With that kind of outreach, and the right narrative, investment will follow.

BRR: Final thoughts for our readers?

BF: I was genuinely surprised by Pakistan’s infrastructure—from NASDP to our financial systems, it’s world-class. We have the talent, energy, and vision. But now it’s up to all of us—citizens, media, businesses—to support this momentum. If we don’t use the systems in place, they’ll wither like so many past initiatives. I’m investing in Pakistan because I believe in it. Now we need collective action to realize its full potential.