From Viral Prank to AI Pioneer: Rahul Sonwalkar’s Julius Aims to Democratize Data Science

Rahul Sonwalkar may have briefly gone viral in 2022 under the pseudonym “Rahul Ligma,” but behind the meme is a seasoned engineer and founder of Julius — an AI-powered data analyst tool now used by over two million people. A former Uber engineer and Y Combinator alum, Sonwalkar launched Julius to make advanced data analysis and visualization accessible through natural language prompts.

He said his goal was to simplify data science for non-technical users. Julius has since gained traction in academia, with Harvard Business School adopting a tailored version for its new core course on AI and data. Backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Julius is now a 12-person team quietly making AI-driven analytics mainstream.

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