Family Bonds: Learning New Things Should Never Stop
The Ravikumar–Rajamanonmani family exemplifies the belief that one should never stop learning new things.
When his wife and daughters discuss artificial intelligence, 63-year-old A. Alalasundaram Ravikumar listens attentively with great interest. “I am often amazed by the way my wife discusses the latest developments with our daughters. She is a role model for all of us,” said Mr Ravikumar, who works as a planning manager in the construction industry.
Dr Rajamanonmani Ravikumar, 63, the matriarch of the family, spent 16 years in India as an associate professor in toxicology at a medical college and more than 20 years as a researcher in Singapore and the United States.
After retiring in 2023, she stepped into the world of artificial intelligence. She now serves as Vice President for Capability Development at a construction company. “After spending many years in one field, learning an entirely different discipline is not easy. Nevertheless, I attended AI workshops and learned,” said Dr Rajamanonmani.
One such programme was What’s Next: Reimagine Your Career Using Design·AI, jointly organised by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). Inspired by the experience, the family later attended another AI workshop conducted by SUTD.
Age Is No Barrier to Learning or Teaching
The workshop was facilitated by SUTD students R. Anieryudh, Chen Liang Jung, Phua Joon Leng and Joshua Cheng.
Anieryudh, 23, who leads Building 0, a student-run AI research laboratory, taught participants about the differences between various AI tools. “We need to converse with AI according to our objectives. To keep pace with the rapid growth of AI, people must learn from one another,” he said.
Mr Ravikumar, who holds two postgraduate degrees, is no stranger to classrooms. However, he said learning alongside his daughters was an unforgettable experience. “Through this workshop, I realised that AI is far more than a simple question-and-answer tool,” he said.
His elder daughter, Dr Nivedha Ravikumar, works in pharmacovigilance, while his younger daughter, Nikhila, is a software engineer. Dr Nivedha shared that “the workshop taught me how to use multiple AI platforms together. For example, I learned to take information obtained through Deep Research and feed it into the Gemini platform to create PowerPoint presentations.”
Nikhila said that learning about AI tools such as Antigravity for computer programming had been particularly useful.
AI at Home
Mr Ravikumar noted how AI has transformed everyday tasks. “It once took me a week to plan an overseas trip on my own. My daughter showed me that AI can generate such a plan almost instantly,” he said.
Dr Rajamanonmani explained how she integrates AI into her daily life: “Whenever I watch something on television—for instance, a programme about environmental sustainability—I immediately ask AI for more information and use it to develop my own ideas and projects.”
Meanwhile, Dr Nivedha creates AI avatars that appeal to her three-year-old son.
Using AI Responsibly
Dr Nivedha stressed the importance of caution when using AI for professional matters.
“Before asking a general-purpose AI system about something, people should first remove any information that could reveal personal details.
Confidential documents should never be uploaded,” she said. Nikhila added, “At work, I avoid over-relying on AI. I always verify what it tells me.”
Anieryudh observed that “there is a significant difference in quality between the first draft produced by AI and a version that has been properly refined and edited.”
Mr Ravikumar concluded with a message of encouragement: “Do not be afraid of AI. You do not need a technological background to learn it. The important thing is simply to begin.”