Jared Bonilla ’12 graduated from Molloy College in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. After graduation, Jared transitioned into the professional world of artificial intelligence and data science, collaborating with some of the world’s leading private equity, insurance, and law firms. He has been featured in Forbes four times for his work helping companies worldwide with AI adoption, implementation, and change management strategies. Jared is also the founder of JobGenie Corp, an AI research and development company dedicated to leveraging technology for social impact.
What inspired you to pursue a career in artificial intelligence?
After graduating with a degree in psychology, I wanted to apply it at a larger scale and realized technology was the way to do that. I believed coding was best learned through self-study, so I taught myself using YouTube and Google. Psychology is the science of understanding people’s patterns and behavior. AI could not only help with that but help more people in the process. Additionally, it was a time when data became increasingly important, so I took a chance, and it turned out to be the best decision I ever made.
How do you think your time at Kellenberg Memorial helped to prepare you for your success in your academic and professional pursuits?
During my freshman year, I predicted that two of my friends would get married. When they tied the knot a decade later, I realized predictive analytics was my calling. My time at Kellenberg helped me understand diverse viewpoints—my classmates came from different backgrounds and demographics, which deepened my understanding of people. Since every career involves working with various kinds of people and understanding their behaviors, this experience proved invaluable.
Do you have any advice for current students or young alumni who are interested in pursuing a career in AI?
Start building something. We’re living in the age of opportunity. AI has made it possible for anyone to become anything—an artist, a writer, a coder. Projects that took months or years to build can now be completed in days. I’ve seen (and done) these changes firsthand. Anyone can learn anything. Just look on YouTube, where even young kids are building complete apps with AI because it’s become that accessible. Your only limits are your creativity and determination. While most people will wait until AI becomes necessary before learning it, those who do the most with it early will see the greatest benefits. Start now! Nothing stands in your way.
As a senior at Kellenberg, I wanted to create an app but didn’t know how to build it. I had to go to college and learn to code. It was a long process, and all the apps I wanted to build had already been built. If I were in high school today, I could create anything I wanted, and so can anyone reading this. Disclaimer: that doesn’t mean it would be successful or make money. Much more goes into creating a billion-dollar company than just creating an app. (But you can build one, and that’s what’s cool.)
Do you have any favorite teachers, coaches, or club moderators from your time at Kellenberg Memorial?
Mr. McCutcheon. I wasn’t a model student at Kellenberg. I was originally a troublemaker with potential, but he had faith in me. He even became a fan of my amateur boxing career, and it became something we talked about during my junior and senior years. His guidance, patience, and belief in my potential had a meaningful impact on helping me improve my performance during those years and shaping me into who I am today.